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IN THIS ISSUE

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SOCIAL CALENDARApril 2012

THE SCOOPNews and Happenings in the Houston Area

BODY & SOULHealing Your Dog Naturally

LIFESTYLEChoosing the Right Pet Sitter

BREED PROFILEAKC No. 3 - The Beagle

AGILITY SERIES - PART 10Threadle with Confidence

SPECIAL FEATUREEco-Friendly Pet Products

GIMME SHELTERMeet the Adoptable Dogs from ADAPT Rescue

There is no psychiatrist in the world like apuppy licking your face.

~ Bern Williams

f you think the season is winding down,grab some doody bags and read on. Thismonth, our event calendar is packed with

fun and adventurous activities for you and yourbest friend.

As Earth Day (April 22) draws near, we capturethis theme in our article, “Healing Your DogNaturally” which reveals natural cures andremedies that we can use for our canine com-panions.

Our editor reports on “green” pet products onpage 22. There are some fabulous products thatyou don’t want to miss.

Also in this issue, we feature an article on“Choosing the Right Pet Sitter. It’s important to

Editorial

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Issue 3: Volume 6www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

find a sitter that both you and your pet are com-fortable with.

The tenth installment of our agility series intro-duces threadles. Lesley Young explores ways tomake it fun and rewarding for you and youragility partner.

All of this and much more inside — so grabthose doody bags and engage!

Jennifer Kitchens-Street

On the Cover

Photo by Paw Prints Pet Photography

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

Design and layout by:ZOECOCREATIVE

© Copyright 2012. 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 heard about themin Urban Paws!

Urban Paws Magazine 5

6 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

April 2012 Events For a full listing of events, visit:www.urbanpawsmagazine.com/events

APRIL 1Pet Photos with the Easter BunnyWestminster House, 2807 Kings Crossing inKingwood. 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. Photos by HappyHeeling Heart Photos $10 for one 4 x 6 or $15for two 4 x 6. Free Easter treat bag for everydog photographed. This event is sponsored byLET'S GO!! (Positive Reinforcement DogTraining). All proceeds from the event to bene-fit St Jude Safe Haven for Little Paws.

APRIL 8Houston Beagle & Hound Rescue Meetand Greet EventPetSmart, 140 FM 1960 Road East. Noon -3:00 p.m. HBHR monthly Meet & Greetevents take place the second Sunday of eachmonth. Adoptable beagles look forward tomeeting you! For more information,visit www.houstonbeaglerescue.org.

APRIL 8Dock Jumping ClassesRummy’s Beach Club. Sundays 9:30 - 11:30a.m. Classes are $200 for 2 hours of trainingweekly. Each student receives 1 free privatehour of swimming to practice off the dock,which must be used prior to your last class. Toregister, visit www.rummysbeachclub.com.

APRIL 10National Pet Day

APRIL 14Houston Pet ExpoAt the Reliant Center. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.Admission is free. Leashed pets with currentvaccinations are welcome. Activities include amega adoption event, discounted microchip-

ping, vaccinations and heartworm preventa-tives, demonstrations, entertainment, educationand much more. For more information, visitwww.houstonpetexpo.com.

APRIL 152nd Annual Hockey4Hounds FundraiserHave fun watching the Houston Aeros take onthe Texas Stars while raising funds to supportretired greyhounds waiting for homes. Thegame begins at 5:00 pm at the Toyota Center.Discount tickets are available for $20 online atwww.gpahouston.org.

APRIL 212nd Annual Paws For A Cause Dog Walkand Cat CapersGet pledges and walk with your best friend tosupport Abandoned Animal Rescue (AAR).Festivities includes the dog "poker" walk, pro-fessional pet photographer, a cat photo wall,$25 micro-chipping, and more. $20 Registrationincludes t-shirt, poker draw, and chance to wina prize. Registration and info atwww.aartomball.org.

APRIL 21Spring BarkPresented by the Lone Star Animal WelfareLeague. Northshore Park in The Woodlands.9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Bring your best friend andvisit exhibitors, rescue groups and other doglovers. For more information, visitwww.thewoodlandsdogparkclub.org.

APRIL 22Earth Day

CALENDAR

THE SCOOP

CITIZENS FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION(CAP) RECEIVES PORTION OF PRO-CEEDS FROM RAISING CANE’S HOLI-DAY CAMPAIGN

Furry friends across the country are enjoyingsome holiday cheer well after the decorationshave been put away, thanks to a pet-lovingchicken finger chain and its customers. RaisingCane’s Holiday Plush Puppy campaign raisedmore than $20,000 for animal welfare this pastyear. Proceeds from the sale of more than1,600 plush puppies were distributed throughdonations to 31 local pet welfare organizationsacross 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 therestaurant’s namesake yellow Labrador RaisingCane, in restaurants throughout the holidayseason and donated the net proceeds fromsales of the plush toy to local pet welfare agen-cies in various markets.To learn more about Raising Cane’s and the

company’s Active Community Involvementprogram, visitwww.raisingcanes.com/community.

BIBI AND MINI ME BUSH DOG PARKOPENS IN SPRING AREAHarris County Precinct 4’s first dog park


opened to the public in March. Pundt Park islocated at 4129 Spring Creek Drive in Spring.The new dog park encompasses four acres,approximately one acre of which is set asidefor small dogs. There are watering stations andwater features mixed among the trails and adog washing station placed near each gatedentrance. The official name of the new facilityis the Bibi and Mini-Me Bush Dog Park atPundt Park. It has been named after the petsof former President George H.W. Bush andFirst Lady Barbara Bush.

THOUSANDS OF SERVICE DOGS TORECEIVE FREE SIGHT SAVING EYEEXAMS THROUGHOUT THEU.S.Starting April 1st, registration will begin for the5th Annual ACVO/Merial National ServiceDog Eye Exam event. This non-profit eventprovides free eye examinations to qualifiedservice dogs across the U.S., Canada andPuerto Rico. Last year, more than 4,000 servicedogs were examined and we're hoping to exam-ine even more this year.To learn more about and register for the 5th

Annual ACVO®/Merial® National ServiceDog Eye Exam Event, please visitwww.ACVOeyeexam.org.

ANIMALPLANETTOFILMANEPISODE-OF ‘PIT BOSS’ AT THE HOUSTON PETEXPOPet lovers are encouraged to attend the 2ndAnnual Houston Pet Expo on April 14th. Stopby the event to get an autograph or picturewith Shorty and Hercules from Animal Planet’shit TV show ‘Pit Boss’. Shorty will be on stage,discussing his passion - rescuing Pit Bulls.Shorty, a workaholic with a devilish sense of


THE SCOOP

humor and quick temper, balances two jobs—running Shortywood Productions, a Hollywoodtalent management company for little people,as well as Shorty’s Rescue, his pit bull rescuegroup. For more information, visitwww.houstonpetexpo.com.

APRIL 27th IS NATIONAL HAIRBALLAWARENESS DAYHairballs may be a humorous subject to somepeople but they are no laughing matter for catowners and their more than 90 million felinecompanions.In addition to being a less than pleasant

sight, hairballs can also be a sign of potentialhealth problems. The last Friday in April is des-ignated as a time to recognize the hazards ofhairballs and take steps to eliminate them.“Up to two-thirds of shed hair can be ingest-

ed as cats self-groom,” said Roger Yount,FURminator vice president of marketing.“These loose hairs can pack together in a cat’sstomach and form a hairball. In most cases, thecat will need to vomit to force out the hairball,which is not good for the cat or household. Ifhairballs are not spit out, they may block thepassage of food in the stomach or becomeimpacted, requiring surgery to remove theblockage.” For more information on NationalHairball Awareness Day and FURminatorproducts, visit www.furminator.com.

MAYOR PARKER UNVEILS DESIGN-PLANS FOR BARC’S NEW ADOPTIONCENTERHouston Mayor Annise D. Parker unveiled onTuesday design plans for a new AdoptionCenter at BARC, the City of Houston's animalshelter and adoption facility.The plan of several phases and is located on

a 2.2 acre parcel of land adjacent to the exist-ing BARC facility, acquired via a tax sale. Thefirst phase will be funded by $4.1 Million ofCapital Improvement Project monies appropri-ated for the renovation of BARC since late2009. BARC and the Houston BARCFoundation will launch a Capital Campaign tofinance the remaining phases with privatefunds.For more information on the construction

phases, visit www.houstonbarc.com.

GET YOUR STORY PUBLISHED INURBAN PAWSMAGAZINEHave you always dreamed of being a publishedauthor? Well here's your chance. We're insearch of reader-submitted stories for HappyTails: How I Met My Dog. Send us your storyfor a chance to be published in Urban Pawsmagazine!Submit stories [email protected] (max 150words) for a chance to be published in themagazine.

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BODY & SOUL

Healing Your Dog NaturallyBy Teri Van Horn RM/T,

Reiki with Pets

t’s Springtime - the time when the primarything on a dog’s mind is to be outside! Yes,

this is when my own five-year-old, 70 pounddesigner dog, Raphael, decides that he no longerneeds to be under my feet, because there are somany exciting and fun things to do outside.

We live in the country now, so Roffy’s day is a lit-tle different than his urban mother’s used to be.He starts out with a ‘cookie’ that he always hasto eat while I check my email, then he’s off out-side, checking on the yard dogs, inspecting thehorses, (unsuccessfully) chasing a few squirrels,then sneaking off into my herb garden for aquick nap. Later he’s ‘chasing’ buzzards allacross our pastures (running and barking at thesky… don’t ask), herding horses during feedingtime, taking a dip or two in the pond, then wrap-ping-up his outside day howling with the coy-otes at dusk. Then he comes in, ready for din-ner and passing out in the middle of the floor…another hard day on the farm.

Being a hard-working country dog, Roffyencounters things that have encouraged me to

take my holistic healing methods to the dogs…literally! Although we love our veterinarian, wehave decided that there are many natural curesand remedies that we can use for Roffy, hisdoggy friends and our horses that help maketheir lives much better. Not only are these bet-ter for our pets, they’re easier on our wallets,too.

Natural Apple Cider VinegarIf you do nothing else, buy a couple bottles ofBraggs Natural Apple Cider Vinegar. This isabsolutely a wonder drug for people and ani-mals. The only thing it doesn’t do is vacuum uppet hair!

Natural apple cider vinegar is a natural antibiot-ic, antiseptic and deodorant. It helps with diges-tion, removes tooth tartar, prevents tooth decay,manages hair loss, prevents gum disease, healsskin problems and will discourage fleas. Feedingone teaspoon to one tablespoon (depending onthe dog’s weight), along with his normal foodcan ease arthritis pain, help prevent skin allergiesand help clear up hot spots.

How about that ‘doggy smell’ that entire indus-tries have been built around? If your dog isbathed regularly, that strong odor just might bean ear infection. Try cleaning your pet’s earswith a mixture of one part alcohol, one partapple cider vinegar and one part water. Pour themixture into a bottle with a dropper and insert8-10 drops in each ear while the dog is lying onhis side. Massage the ears to make certain thatthe mixture is deep inside, and wipe each ear

I

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with tissue. Once a week, add a few drops ofapple cider vinegar to prevent future problems.If your dog continually has tear stains, you cankeep wiping them away daily or you can add ateaspoon of apple cider vinegar per quart ofwater to their water bowl. This will help clear-up any active yeast infections, which can cause awhole host of problems.

Another way you can treat ear wax build-up is touse three drops of lavender oil into one tea-spoon of witch hazel. Insert at least four dropsinto each ear, massaging so that the mixture getsdeep into the ear canal. Repeat this process dailyto soften the wax, and gently remove it with acotton ball.

Got Fleas?We have several different remedies to ward-offfleas. This is one time where you can take yourpick, depending on what fragrances you prefer.After a bath, rinse your pet with a mixture ofhalf warm water and half natural apple cidervinegar and let him air dry. The vinegar mixturehelps the skin, makes the coat shiny and repelsfleas and flies. Before you head out to the dogpark, spray your dog with this same mixture tokeep the fleas from coming home with you.Another great way to treat fleas is to add 1 dropof lemongrass or citronella oil to your dog’sshampoo. If you have a serious problem with

fleas or parasites, you can put four drops ofcedarwood or lavender into a bowl of warmwater and soak your dog’s brush before groom-ing. This will disinfect the dog, condition thecoat and collect the parasites and eggs in thebrush. Make certain you rise the brush out sev-eral times during the grooming process and re-apply the oil mixture.

We’re loving lemons! Cut a lemon into quartersand place in a pint jug. Cover the lemon withboiling water and let it steep overnight. The nextday you have a great fresh flea repellent that youcan use in a spray bottle.

Make your own wonderful smelling flea collar.Take a bandana and rub a few drops of eucalyp-tus, tea tree, citronella, lavender or geraniumessential oils onto it. Continue adding oils week-ly and the fleas will stay away.

If you’re dealing with a really bad flea infesta-tion and only dipping your dog will do, steeptwo cups of fresh rosemary in two pints of boil-ing water for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid, dis-card the leaves, and make up to one gallon withwarm water. Bathe the dog as usual, pouring themixture over the dog until it is saturated. Allowthe dog to dry naturally – no rinsing. It willsmell wonderful and you’ll remove your fleaproblem.

If your dog has a house outside, you might wantto add natural cedar shavings to the inside of it.It keeps the house clean and is a deterrent forfleas.Other Tips & TricksDid you know that applying Vicks Vaporub tofurniture legs will prevent your puppy fromchewing them? I’d bet it works on shoes, too!If your dog’s coat is tangled or matted, rub a lit-


tle cornstarch onto their coat before brushing.It’ll make things much easier.

Cuts & ScrapesIf your dog receives a cut or scrape, you can usesix drops of either thyme, lavender or tea tree oilin a half gallon of water. All of these oils arenatural antibiotics and disinfectants, so if yourdog licks the wound, they won’t be ingestinganything unnatural. f the wound becomes ulcer-ous due to dirt and infection, you can draw outtoxins using one cabbage leaf, wrapping itaround the wound. Secure it firmly and changethe leaf 4-6 times a day until the toxins havebeen drawn out. Afterward, thoroughly washthe wound in a solution of four drops of laven-der oil to five ounces of warm water.

Bee StingsBee stings can be treated by first removing thestinger from your pet, then to prevent swellingand ease the pain, mix baking soda with water,creating a thick paste. Apply the mixture to thearea of the sting, along with a cold pack. Thisworks great for people and for jellyfish stings,too.

SkunksFor those unfortunate dogs who happen uponan unfriendly skunk, mix water with 1 quart ofhydrogen peroxide, ¼ cup of baking soda, and½ tablespoon of liquid soap. Shampoo intoyour pet’s fur and rinse thoroughly for severalminutes. Reapply until the smell is gone.

DiarrheaIf your dog has diarrhea, you can feed thempureed pumpkin. But, if this doesn’t stop theproblem quickly, call your vet, as they canbecome dehydrated quickly. To counteract thedehydration, give your dog some Pedialyte.

Itchy SkinFor itchy skin problems, add a teaspoon ofextra virgin olive oil to your pet’s food. Thiswon’t solve the problem immediately, but is agradual treatment for the problem. You canalways use fresh aloe on the area for instantrelief.

Stress & AnxietyEven pets get stressed and anxious at times. Ifthis happens due to separation anxiety, forinstance, rub a dab of lavender oil under yourpet’s muzzle daily place a small bag of freshlavender under their bed and replace weekly.What’s worse than a dog that gets carsick? Thebest way to counter act this problem is to givethem a few drops of ginger root extract beforeleaving on your trip. This will help settle theirstomach and can be re-used as needed.

While all of these remedies are great for basicdog care, they are in no way meant to be areplacement for quality veterinary care. Alsonote that these remedies are not appropriate forour feline friends. Their systems are entirely dif-ferent and need a different approach to naturalhealth care.

These home remedies should get you and yourdog through the spring without too many prob-lems. Now, if I can only keep Roffy from jump-ing into the pond every afternoon, we’ll be ingreat 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.

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 Sun-Dancer 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 great-est 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.

A WRINKLE IN TIME...read on.The Indian Solid Gold (Curcumin) and the

Solid Gold SunDancer Dog Food

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

also visit our website at www.solidgoldholistic.com.

Solid Gold HolisticAnimal Nutrition Center1331 N. CuyamacaEl Cajon, CA 92020

White dogs absorb more ultra violet light (photo-aging) which may depress the immune system. Holistique Blendz is only 18% protein from fi sh, 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 fi nd products. One sum-mer, 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 experi-ence. 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 moth-er 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

LIFESTYLE

Choosing the Right Pet Sitter

omething as simple as a weekend away

can be a daunting prospect when you

need to find pet care in your absence.

Not all pets do well in a boarding environment

and that’s where having a pet sitter can be a life

saver. Utilizing a pet sitter allows your furry (or

perhaps scaled or feathered) family member to

remain in the familiar and comfortable environs

of your home. This can be of particular con-

cern if your pet has a chronic underlying med-

ical issue such as epilepsy that can be exacerbat-

ed by stress. Hiring a pet sitter can also be a very

cost effective option if you have a multi-pet

household.

So perhaps you go online and find a pet sitter

that provides service to your area and is avail-

able for the dates you need...what now? Well,

ideally 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-


By Lauren GittensGannette Professional Pet Sitting

S


ing your furry family members to anyone’s care.

First and foremost, a meeting should be sched-

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

such as Chows, that may form a strong bond to

one person (i.e. the owner) and in turn be leery

of new people, might even need to meet the

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 sit-

uation.

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 pro-

vide 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 ref-

erences can also lend additional peace of mind.

During the initial meeting, the sitter should take

the time to go over the service contract with

you. 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.

Address these basic questions/issues in the

interview process and make sure that both you

and your pet are comfortable with the sitter.

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, hav-

ing 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.


he American Kennel Club recently

announced the list of the most popular

dogs in America. So what’s all the buzz

about? The beagle. This lovable breed overtook

the Yorkshire Terrier to become the third most

popular dog in America. The AKC News pro-

nounced with much enthusiasm, “Beagles have

their year!”

But as the AKC, breeders and others swoon

over the breed and its newfound popularity, a

collective gasp can be heard across the city by

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

tells us otherwise. We predict it already. Even

more beagles will find themselves in the unfor-

tunate place of being unwanted after owners

realize what it really takes to raise a beagle.

Some of these beagles may make it into our

overburdened foster care system that turns away

as many dogs as it accepts, about 150 per year.

Others will be abandoned, neglected and/or

euthanized.

They will become another statistic, joining the

3 million to 4 million pets euthanized by shelters

in the U.S. each year, and the 11,000 dogs in

unincorporated Harris County alone.

Recent beagle fever is part of a larger cultural

climate and history that celebrates the breed.

Who doesn’t love Charles Schulz’s Snoopy,

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s Shiloh, or Uno, who

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

dogs. They instinctively follow their noses, and

this often takes them directly into trouble’s path.

New beagle owners unversed in Beagle 101

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

BREED PROFILE

AKC Number 3 By Samantha Savage, Ph.D.Communications, Houston Bealge & Hound Rescue

T

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 once-

adorable 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 get-

ting.

With mindful beagle ownership, maybe 2012

will be a good year for beagles. All beagles.

Samantha Savage is a beagle advocate and college professor inHouston, Texas. For more information about beagles and bea-gle adoption, please visit Houston Beagle and Hound Rescueat www.houstonbeaglerescue.org.

AGILITY

Part 10 - Threadle with Confidence By Lesley Young (MAHons)Dog Angels US

“Threadle” – a word to strike fear into the heartof many an agility handler! Here we exploreways to make it fun and rewarding for you andyour agility partner. A threadle entails taking twoadjacent obstacles (usually hurdles) from thesame side, requiring your dog to ‘pull through’between the first obstacle and the next. Theskills required are also great for leash walkingand positioning your dog without fuss as theylearn to follow your movement.As with all our training, your dog needs the

basic skills to start. Please see our earlier articleson handling basic hurdles, introducing angledjumps and performing Serpentines (last month).Introducing a new skill entails finding ways tomake it easy for your dog to succeed, whilemaintaining drive and motivation. In the begin-ning, I tend to angle a series of jumps and alsotemporarily reduce the jump height. “Chaining”- training all the elements individually and then

putting them together - can really help with allskill building.Our ‘Stars’ this week are 3 year old, rescued

Chocolate Labrador, Penny, and her handlerLeanne. Like many dogs, Penny enjoys jumping,but when redirected she loses confidence andfeels like she is being corrected. Partly this isbecause we have taken time to build the valuefor jumping hurdles. For all dogs, it’s importantto build the value for the ‘In’. The “In” is indi-cated by the hand furthest from the dog, tellingit ‘come towards me’. Some dogs work reallywell just on body language and momentum cuesbut in the early stages, and continuing with somedogs, a short verbal cue can really help. I likesaying “In”. It’s short, positive and says “here isa game, a treat or some other really greatreward”. A toy pheasant really floats Penny’sboat and here you can see Leanne using it veryeffectively to keep her motivated.


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” shebecomes more responsive and starts to turneven as she lands so she is in a good position todrive towards the next hurdle.

Gradually, the jumps can be brought round untilthey are in line. To train the sequence right toleft, the jumps need to be angled the oppositeway round.

Happy Jumping! With thanks to Leanne andPenny. All the dogs featured in our monthlyarticles are members of the DogAngels club.

Lesley Young (MA Hons), has 17 years experience of DogTraining - relocating to The Woodlands, Texas in 2009. Lesleyruns pet Dog, Puppy and Agility classes and is an AKC CanineGood Citizen Evaluator. Please see her websitewww.dogangels.us for more information.

ECO-FRIENDLYPET PRODUCTS to BARK ABOUT


2-in1 Shampoo fromPlanet DogNaturally. Thesepuppy safe 2-in-1shampoos are natural-ly derived fromcoconut and coconutoil, guar extract, oat-meal extract, oatmealfragrance, almond fra-grance, and sea salt. Itis an all-natural blendthat will leave yourpet’s coat clean andsmelling great.www.planetdog.com

Wagatha’s Organic Dog BiscuitsWhat dog Wagatha's Wheat FreeTuscan Biscuits are a delightfullyaromatic taste of Italy, and a greatsource of lycopene, and vitaminsA&C. Human Grade CertifiedOrganic Ingredients.www.wagathas.com

DIY Kit fromMolly MuttYou get 2 duvets and 1 stuffsack. Use the duvet to recoveryour old dog bed, or stuff anew one with blankets &clothes from around yourhouse. durable, washable, andpre-shrunk. 100% cotton,fully-zippered and gusseted forextra style and comfort.www.mollymutt.com

No. 2 Bags from Harry BarkerThese Harry Barker No. 2 bags are100% biodegradable. Each roll inthe 8 pack includes 15 bags and willfit in most dispensers.www.harrybarker.com

Eco Fetcher fromHonest Pet ProductsIt Flies! It Bounces! It Rolls! This eco-friendly and ultradurable toys is made from hemp, the strongest natural fiberon earth. Made in Green Bay, Wisconsin. A fabric toy thatcan stand up to the toughest dogs! Available in three fetch-able sizes: 5", 7", and 9". www.honestpetproducts.com

Oslo Collars fromHarry BarkerHarry Barker's Jacquard Woven Oslo Collars arepetro-chemical free and made from 100% certi-fied recycled plastics. These collars are light-weight, super durable, machine washable and dryalmost instantly. Double-coated nickel-platedsteel hardware is tarnish and scratch resistant.Each Harry Barker collar is made from 10 recy-cled plastic bottles. www.harrybarker.com

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

Tess at approximately three years of ageand had been bred nearly to death. Foundas a stray, with a melon-sized tumor hang-ing 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 specialnessthat is Tess, and found a charmingly sweetand quiet girl who gets along with every-one, including cats. She likes kids, enjoyswalks and quiet evenings with family. Tesswill soon be available for adoption (onceshe's off medical hold). She is housebro-ken and completely house safe. She doesno damage and does not need cratingwhile you’re gone. She’s an easy and lovingmember of the family. If you’re interestedin adopting this special girl, please visitwww.adaptrescue.org to complete anonline 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.

Ourcover dog,Tess!

A Doberman Adoption Placement Team (ADAPT) Rescuewww.adaptrescue.org

ADAPT is (501(c3) non-profit composed of a group of dedicated volunteers who work tire-lessly to save the lives of homeless Doberman Pinschers in Texas. They are a volunteer-basedgroup 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 liveout their lives as wonderful companions to those individuals and families who are luckyenough, and caring enough, to welcome them.


GIMME SHELTER

Photoby

PawPrintsPetP

hotography

Molly is a pint-sized, female Doberman with ashort military crop to her ear. She has a huge heartthat loves everyone. She’s energetic and sweet, andshe screams personality and love. Molly has a lotto offer a family. At about two years old, she isspayed, up to date on vaccinations and on heart-worm prevention. Fill out the online applicationto make Molly all yours.

Lester was a stray with no real known past. He is approxi-mately three years old and is full of personality and atti-tude. His ears have been cropped and docked. With a fewpounds, this boy will be even more handsome than he isnow. 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 current-ly working on house manners.

Meet Isis (Icy), a really sweet two-year-old with velvety natu-ral ears. She is black and rust in color. She just couldn't getalong with her litter sister and they fought so she was givenup to rescue. She loves kids, she enjoys playing ball, going forwalks and hanging out. Icy is heartworm negative, spayed,housebroken, crate trained and ready for a new family. ShowIsis the love she deserves and bring her home.


Lester

Molly

GracieGracie’s scarred back is well healed but tells of sadder daysgone by. Fortunately, she doesn't let bad memories hold herback. This bright and tiny girl has a ton to offer. She hascropped (nearly mutilated) docked ears and is red and rust.Gracie has a loving personality, a bright outlook and a will-ing to please thought process. She would do better witholder children and needs a home that will be patient withher. She would also love a place to run and explore. Visitwww.adaptrescue.org to make Gracie your special familymember.

Isis


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