urban paws magazine

Issue 10: Volume 8

Cover phot and this photo by Paw Prints Pet Photographyby Jamie Fincher.

contents

EVENT CALENDAR 6November 2014

THE SCOOP 7Canine News and Happenings

BODY & SOUL 12Caring for Your Senior Dog

SPECIAL FEATURE 16Dogs and Our Health: The Benefits of Our Furry Friends

MUTT MUGS 20

ADOPTION 22Boston Terrier Rescue of Greater Houston26 Rescued Dogs from a Puppy Mill Seizure

PublisherJennifer Kitchens-Street(281) [email protected]

Advertising(281) [email protected]

Contributing WritersMary GreeneNeil Thanedar

Staff PhotographerJamie Fincherwww.pawprintsbyjamie.com

Contributing PhotographerGayle Therese Photography

Urban Paws MagazinePO Box 1556Spring, TX 77383www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

Web: www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

© Copyright 2014. No part of thispublication may be reprinted orotherwise reproduced without thepublisher’s written permission.Urban Paws magazine assumes noresponsibility for unsolicited manu-scripts, feature and idea submis-sions, or photographs, and suchmaterial will not be returned. UrbanPaws magazine assumes no liabilityfor the contents herein and has theright to refuse advertising for anyreason. Urban Paws magazine doesnot endorse any specific product orservice contained herein; we doencourage you to support ouradvertisers whenever possible.

Please tell our advertisers thatyou heard about them in UrbanPaws Magazine!

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ARTICLES, EVENTS, CONTESTS & MORE!

NOVEMBERevent calendar

NOVEMBER 1

Craft Beer, Burgers and Wine with your

Canine at Puffabelly’s in Old Town Spring.

Help Texas Paw Party raise money for

Houston area rescue groups and have fun at

the same time! Lots of food, drink, live

music, silent auctions and fun with your

friends and your dogs. All proceeds benefit

the rescue groups of Texas Paw Party.

Tickets $15 pre-purchase; $20 at the door.

NOVEMBER 6

3rd Annual Art & Pet Food Bowl Auction

and Party at Ciao Bello, 5161 San Felipe. Art

from local artists, photography, gift items,

and creative pet food bowls will be auc-

tioned off to benefit the Houston Area

Rescue Bank. Tickets are available online at

www.rescuebankhouston.org.

NOVEMBER 7

8th Annual Wine and Beer Tasting at The

Arbor Gate. 6:00 - 8:00 PM. You'd easily pay

$50 to hear great jazz, but a ticket to

Abandoned Animal Rescue's fundraiser also

includes wine tastings, beer tasting from

Karbach Brewery, appetizers and a door

prize entry. Most important - you are helping

the homeless dogs and cats in our communi-

ties! For more information, visit www.aar-

tomball.org.

NOVEMBER 14-15

Grand Opening at Doggy in Wonderland in

historic Old Town Tomball, 100 Houston

Street. Join the official ribbon cutting cere-

mony with light refreshments and swag bags

for the first ten guests. 11:00 AM on Friday.

For more information, visit www.doggyin-

wonderland.com.

NOVEMBER 14-15

Houston Beagle & Hound Semi-Annual

Garage Sale. The beagles have found that

you enjoy getting rid of your stuff and it rais-

es money for their medical needs and pays

for their boarding until a foster home opens

up. For more information, email bevyofbea-

[email protected].

NOVEMBER 22

7th Annual Kingwood Barkfest

Come together with your four-legged friends

and Bark in the Park. Enjoy vendor booths,

visit local rescue organizations, raffles and

demonstrations. 8 N. Main Street in

Kingwood. for more information, visit

www.kingwoodbarkfest.yolasite.com.

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

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

6 www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

the scoop

Doggy in Wonderland Announces GrandOpening Festivities

Doggy in Wonderland, the online pet and gift

boutique "where chic doggies shop," opened its

doors in historic downtown Tomball, and

invites you to celebrate their grand opening

weekend November 14-15, 2014.

The first brick and mortar location of the

upscale pet boutique will be the first in the area

to feature more personal touches such as in-

store pet photography and "paw-sonal shopper"

services. "Our ideal clients are people who love

their dogs like their family, and who are interest-

ed in higher end dog products that can't be

found at the big box stores," says co-owner

Cynthia Fagan. "We offer an experience similar

to upscale boutiques for humans."

Grand opening weekend kicks off at 11:00

a.m. on Friday, November 14 with the official

ribbon cutting ceremony with the Tomball

Chamber of Commerce. Light refreshments will

be offered to guests, and swag bags containing

Doggy in Wonderland goodies will be given to

the first ten guests.

On Saturday, November 15th, the boutique

kicks things up a notch. Swag bags will be given

to the first 20 guests. PugHearts rescue brings a

Urban Paws Magazine 7

pug parade for an adoption event at 11:00 a.m.

in Jackson's Backyard, the boutique's fully

fenced yard named for their Pug. There will be

complimentary "paw-dicures" throughout the

afternoon, as well as mini training sessions to

teach dogs tricks, treats for both people and

pets, and in-store specials. Mini raffles will be

held throughout the day with a grand prize

drawing at day's end.

The boutique is located at 100 Houston Street,

Tomball, and open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday through Saturday. For more informa-

tion, please visit www.doggyinwonderland.com.

Montgomery County Animal Society toHost Third Annual Bake and Craft Saleand Holiday Raffle


Montgomery County Animal Society

(MCASociety) invites you to visit Montgomery

County Animal Shelter (MCAS) the weekend

before Christmas Day for our 3rd Annual Bake

and Craft Sale and Holiday Raffle at the shelter

located at 8535 SH 242 in Conroe, TX.

The Bake and Craft Sale will take place on

Saturday, December 20 from 10am – 4pm. The

sale will feature an array of Holiday themed

cookies and other baked goods and handmade

blankets, scarfs, candles, jewelry and more – just

in time for Christmas gift giving.

On Sunday, December 21, MCASociety vol-

unteers will be selling hot cocoa in memory of

former foster dog, Danny, who after a long bat-

tle with illness passed quietly at home with his

loving foster family. Funds raised through

Danny’s Hot Cocoa will be set aside especially

for fosters families caring for terminally ill pets.

MCASociety will be raffling off an assort-

ment of prizes including a TV, a iPad and more.

Tickets can be purchased for $5 per ticket online

at www.mcaspets.org/holidayevent and at the

shelter leading up to and the day of the event.

Winners need not be present to win. Online

ticket buyers do not need to receive physical

tickets - names will be entered into the raffle

box and winners will be notified via PayPal email

addresses. Winners will be draw at the Holiday

Event on Sunday, December 21 at 4pm and will

be notified via telephone or email.

All proceeds will benefit MCASociety, a non-

profit organization that supports MCAS’ home-

less pet by providing medical care and equipping

the scoop

volunteers to find homes and save lives.

MCASociety raises funds that go directly toward

helping the shelter animals, including the cats

and dogs being cared for in foster homes.

MCASociety also educates the public about vac-

cinations, spay and neutering, and other animal

welfare issues. For more information, email visit

www.mcasociety.org.

DAWG Foundation to Host First AnnualDAWG Day Festival

DAWG Foundation of Houston, TX will be

hosting a day-long festival to raise awareness of

combat related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

(PTSD) and the role of the service/emotional

support dog in the lives of our brave veterans

battling this condition.

On Saturday, November 8th, 2014 (10am-

10pm), local pet groomer/trainer Barks 5th

Avenue (10620 F.M. 1960 West Houston, TX

77070-near the corner of 1960/Jones Rd) will

play host to this festival, bringing our communi-

ty together in support of our local military vet-

erans who fight a daily battle against PTSD.

“The schedule is filling up quickly,” says Pat

Mahon, Founder of DAWG Foundation and

local business owner, “and it promises to be an

exciting day! Our volunteers and supporters in


the scoop

the greater Houston area have really embraced

the cause, and want to help us educate our

friends and neighbors on the near-constant

struggles that many of our returning veterans

face.” Pat's son, Jeremy, is a combat Marine vet-

eran who battles PTSD from his time spent in

Iraq. Jeremy's fight is what inspired Pat to

form the Foundation.

The First Annual DAWG DAY is a chance for

the greater Houston community to come out

and show support not only for our amazing,

brave veterans, but also for the intelligent,

strong, and indispensable service/emotional

support dogs that keep them safe and sound.

Please consider joining us for this amazing

time of friendship on November 8th. Details

about the 1st Annual DAWG DAY, the DAWG

Foundation, and PTSD can be found on our

website (www.dawgfoundation.com) or via our

extremely active Facebook page (www.face-

book.com/dawgfoundation). Civic organiza-

tions, cook-off teams, and other exhibitor

inquiries can contact Joe Spencer at the

Foundation, at 832-331-4039 or joe@dawg-

foundation.com.

Veterinary Technician PositionAvailable at Abandoned Animal RescueAAR is looking for a new vet tech who is inter-

ested in working for a no-kill shelter that offers

spay/neuter and wellness to the public at low

cost. Email your resume to Debbie at aares-

[email protected] or [email protected].

COMING INDECEMBER:HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

Have your pet products seenby thousands in the Urban Paws

Holiday Gift Guide!

Contact us forspecial advertising opportunities

at 281.384.5431

November is National Adopt-A-Senior-Pet MonthAt animal shelters and rescue groups every-

where, there are loving, healthy senior pets look-

ing for that one special home to cherish them

for the rest of their life, and they don’t ask for

much: just a warm place to sleep, good meals

and plenty of love.

During Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month, take the

opportunity to get acquainted with the older

pets available at your local shelter or rescue

organization.

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Caring for Your Senior Dog


body & soul


By: Mary Greene, EarthWise Pet Supply

e can all be thankful for the fact

that our pets are living longer. This is not only

happening because of improved veterinary care,

but also to increased knowledge and availability

of quality foods.

Although it will vary by breed, in general, small

dogs are considered geriatric at 7-9 years of age.

Larger breed dogs tend to have shorter life

spans and are considered geriatric when they are

about 6 years of age. As a rule of thumb, once

your dog has reached half of their life expectan-

cy, they are considered senior. There are many

things to consider as your dog ages.

Your older dog should have vet check-ups every

6 months. This will help your vet to detect early

signs of illness or other problems. Senior pet

exams are more in-depth. They may include

dental care, blood work, and specific checks for

physical signs of diseases that are more likely in

older dogs.

When it comes to diet and nutrition, senior dogs

often need foods that are more readily

digestible, have lower calorie levels and contain

anti-aging supplements. These can include

omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, chondroitin

sulfate and antioxidants. Better brand senior

kibble will use higher quality protein sources

than the standard foods. These help keep up

body weight and muscle mass without putting

too much strain on the kidneys.

If your older dog seems to be losing their

appetite, have your vet rule out any underlying

health problems, such as dental disease, dia-

betes, kidney disease, or cancer. Adding warm

water, a low sodium broth or canned food can

make the food more appealing for your dog.

It won’t hurt to cut back on the prepackaged

treats to maintain a healthy weight. You can feed

your dog more fresh vegetables and fruits.

Fresh carrots, broccoli, celery, green beans,

spinach, pumpkin, sweet potato, apple (no

seeds), Pear (no seeds), orange and cantaloupe

can all be used as treats or added to their food

bowl – but always in moderation!


Dogs will also need more water as they get

older. Their ability to maintain water balance

decreases as they age, so it’s important to make

sure that senior dogs have plenty of clean water

available. Adding canned food to their diet and

cutting back some on the kibble will also help to

sustain their water balance.

Older dogs can show signs of senility.

Inattentiveness could be a result of acute hear-

ing or vision loss, but could also be a symptom

of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. Although it

isn’t curable, the latest studies have found that

regular, moderate physical activity, mental stim-

ulation with interactive toys, and a diet rich

in antioxidants may help preserve your aging

dog's mental health.

Try to keep your senior dog's environment

familiar and friendly. Try not to change or

rearrange furniture. Consider purchasing or

building a ramp for any stairways. Keep com-

mands short, simple, and compassionate.

Know your dog's limits when introducing new

toys, food, people, or other animals and encour-

age gentle and involved, short play sessions.

Keep your aging dog active through proper

exercise to help keep them healthier and more

mobile. Shorter, more frequent walks or swims

can help keep your dog in shape and his weight

under control.

Most importantly, keep your patience and com-

passion. Your dog's world has changed, but

every effort should be made to show her that

your love, respect, and pride of her past and

present abilities has not changed and never will.

Mary Greene is the owner of EarthWise Pet Supply, locatedat 22454 Tomball Parkway. For more information, visit thestore’s website at www.EarthWisepet.com/Houston.

body & soul


special feature

Dogs and Our Health:The Benefits of our Furry Friends

By: Neil Thanedar, LabDoor.com


or thousands of years, dogs have been

domesticated and bred to have qualities

humans deemed suitable–a literal transforma-

tion from wild animal to man’s best friend. They

are our companions, friends, family, and service

dogs. That feeling we get when we see our furry

friend jump with joy, give us a kiss (and acci-

dentally hit us with that wagging tail!) is well-

known. The health benefits of dog ownership,

however, is often less talked about. Here, we

round-up the scientific evidence of how dogs

can definitely enhance health and quality of life.

Dogs Enhance Physical and Mental Health• Dog owners reap amazing cardiovascular

benefits, including lower cholesterol and

reduced blood pressure.

• Dog owners have a lower likelihood of visiting

the doctor.

• Dog owners have a lower likelihood of being

on medication for sleeping and heart issues.

• Dog owners have a lower likelihood of health

deterioration after losing their significant other.

• Dogs help fight depression.

• Dogs allow humans to have responsibility,

purpose, and support.

• Dog owners feel safer outside when walking

their dogs.

• Having a pet can save you money on health

care due to less frequent doctor’s visits–a result

of greater, more stable health.

Dogs Have Big Benefits for Children

F • Children who have dogs at home are more

active. This leads to a more physical and

healthy lifestyle.

• Children who owns dogs generally become

more nurturing adults.

• Children with pets have higher self-esteem.

• Children with pets have an enhanced immune

system and experience less allergies than chil-

dren who are not around pets.

• Dogs make children feel safe.

Dogs In Hospital and Nursing Homes• Dogs helped patient become more responsive,

alert, and happier.

• Residential dogs in nursing homes resulted in

less fatigue, less depression, and increase in

vigor for patients.

• Residents of nursing home socialized more

with each other when dogs were present.

Dogs Can Prevent Illness and Injury• A study showed that dog owners experience

less minor injuries than non-dog owners.

• Pet owners have lower risk factors for coro-

nary heart disease.

Dogs Can Speed Up Recovery From Illness• Dog owners are more than 8.6 times more

likely to be alive after a heart attack than non-

dog owners.

• Pets allow humans to cope better after learn-

ing they have a major illness.

• Pets allow humans to feel like they have a sense


of support before, during, and after their

illness.

• Recently widowed women with dogs are on

less medication and experience fewer symp-

toms of disease than their non-dog owning

counterparts.

Dogs Provide Unspoken Therapy• Dogs help soldiers cope with post traumatic

stress disorder.

• Some programs allow dogs to be trained for

the disabled by prisoners. This help boost the

prisoners’ self-esteems and teaches them

nurturing skills.

• Dogs are a great stress relief for students

during exams.

• Patients with schizophrenia feel safer and less

stressed with friendly dogs around.

• Dogs give love and relief from loneliness.

Dogs Help the Disabled• Dogs are used as service dogs for the blind,

deaf, and people with other disabilities.

• They don’t just provide a physical benefit to

the disabled, but they also provide companion-

ship and emotional support. They allow the

disabled to feel more independent and help

with their mobility and confidence.

Medical Detection Dogs• Some dogs have been trained to look for com-

plications such as epilepsy, diabetes, and cancer

due to their acute sense of smell. A dog’s nose

is estimated to be from 100 to 100,000 times

more sensitive than a human nose.

Dogs Help People Be More Social• Dogs make you get out of the house.

• By walking more, you meet more people and

socialize more.

• A study has shown that you seem more like-

able if you appear with a dog in a photo than

you would with flowers.

It is believed that the reason for why dog own-

ers are generally healthier is because they tend to

walk more often and more regularly than non

dog-owners. While dog ownership offers count-

less health benefits, man’s best friend has also

been used by humans for other purposes, such

as war dogs, rescue dogs, drug detection dogs,

and hunting dogs. Of course, dogs aren’t the

only pets that offer these health benefits. Cats

has also been known to help humans, but the

study of dog benefits to humans has been more

extensively researched. One study has even

shown that people who stare at aquariums with

fishes in it experienced lower blood pressure

and a decreased heart rate than those who were

staring at a blank wall. Both regular and casual

interactions with animals can improve the phys-

ical and mental well-being of humans.

From being used for protecting farm animals

and helping humans hunt for wild animals to

being our friends and healers, there is clearly a

special feature

Social Support Theory - According to this theory,

social support and loneliness are opposites of

each other: “loneliness refers to the experience

of deficits in social relations; social support

refers to the availability of interpersonal

resources.” Companionship with our pets helps

us with get rid of loneliness and provides us

with social support, which is needed for our

health.

Humans and dogs have cohabited for thousands

of years and both sides have greatly benefited.

They give us amazing health advantages and

they love us unconditionally. It makes a lot of

sense why canines are called man’s best friends.

mutual relationship between humans and dogs.

This hypotheses and theory explains why and

how our bonds with our dogs and pets are so

strong.

The Bond Between Humans and Their PetsBiophilia Hypothesis - There is an innate bond

that humans have with nature and animals. This

drives us to connect with them for our physical

and mental health. Author Edward Wilson

described biophilia as the “innate tendency to

focus on life and lifelike processes” noting that

“to the degree that we come to understand

other organisms, we will place greater value on

them, and on ourselves.”

mutt mugs

“Blessed is the personwho has earned

the love ofan old dog.”

- Sydney Jeanne Seward



adoption

n September 14, 2014, two Houston

area rescues formed a caravan west-

bound on I-10 to rescue 26 dogs

seized in an animal cruelty case in San Antonio.

The 25 Boston Terriers and one Pug were part

of over 100 dogs confiscated from a

breeder/hoarder in St. Hegwig, Texas, where

they had lived their lives stacked in cages full of

feces, urine and mold.

All of the dogs were severely neglected and

traumatized, having lived lives void of veteri-

nary care and human emotion. Boston Terrier

Rescue of Greater Houston (BTRGH) and

PugHearts volunteers drove to Weimar to meet

San Antonio volunteers halfway. Four vehicles

were loaded with volunteers, crates and other

items to ease the transport of their precious

cargo to Houston.

Boston Terrier Rescue of Greater Houston

(BTRGH) was contacted to pick up an undeter-

mined number, but potentially as many as 40,

dogs. In order to facilitate the last-minute res-

cue, BTRGH President Karen Toupard contact-

ed PugHearts founder Cindy Rothermel, and

both groups rallied enough volunteers to donate

their time, vehicles and cages to safely transport

the puppy mill dogs back to Houston.

Once the rescue caravan arrived at the BTRGH

rescue kennel in Spring, the dogs were unloaded

one-by-one into large cages in the backyard,

where they were each examined by a veterinari-

an, heartworm tested, de-wormed and adminis-

tered heartworm preventative. Each dog's med-

ical condition was chronicled, and the dogs were

tagged in order of most urgent medical needs.

All of the puppy mill dogs were then bathed and

given the name of a movie star, since they were

all soon to be shining stars freed from their

prison.

Featured on the following pages are some of the

rescued dogs that are available for adoption

through BTRGH. If you are interested in adopt-

ing one, please visit the group’s website at

www.houstonbostonrescue.org.

Watch news coverage online of the 26 Boston

Terrier rescues seized in the puppy mill bust:

http://www.click2houston.com/news/terrier-

rescue-group-saves-dogs-prepares-for-adop-

tion/28059676. You can also follow the

progress of each dog on BTRGH's Facebook

page at Facebook.com/BostonTerrierRescue.

O

25 Boston Terriers and One Pug Rescued From a Puppy Mill in Texas


Boston Terrier Rescue of Greater Houstonwww.houstonbostonrescue.org

The Boston Terrier Rescue of Greater Houston (also known as BTRGH) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corpo-ration focusing primarily on the rescue, rehabilitation, and permanent rehoming of abandoned, neg-lected, abused and surrendered Boston Terriers.

The group is comprised of a group of volunteers who tirelessly donate their time and talents to themission of rescuing Boston Terriers from Texas, Louisiana and sometimes Mississippi.

Join us in helping our four-legged friends

find loving homes. Adopt a dog today!

adoption

All photos courtesy of Gayle Therese Photography

vet directory 2014

Veterinarians

Clara Scott, DVMMy Family Vet20120 Kuykendahl RoadSpring, Texas 77379(p): 281.288.0500(w): www.myfamilyvet.com

Sunset Blvd Animal Clinic 2525 Sunset Blvd.Houston, Texas 77005(p): 713.526.5881(w): www.sunsetblvdanimalclinic.com

Veterinary Specialists

Laurie Noaker, DVM, DACVIMVERGI8921 Katy FreewayHouston, Texas 77024(p): 713.932.9589(w): www.vergi247.com

Nicholas J. Millichamp, BVetMed, PhD,DVOphthal, DipECVO, MRCVSEye Care for Animals17395 Tomball Parkway #3-HHouston, Texas 77064(p): 281.890.3937(w): www.eyecareforanimals.com

Christie Cornelius, DVMLast Wishes In-Home Pet Hospice and Euthanasia1302 Waugh Drive, Suite 968Houston, Texas 77019(p:) 713.452.0474(w): www.petslastwishes.com

North Houston Vet Specialists 1646 Spring Cypress Road #100Spring, Texas 77388(p): 832.616.5000(w): www.nhvetspecialists.com

If you are interested in having your veterinary practice featured in our Vet Directory,please contact us at 281.384.5431 or [email protected].


urban paws magazine

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