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IN THIS ISSUE

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SOCIAL CALENDARJanuary/February 2012

THE SCOOPNews and Happenings in the Houston Area

BODY & SOULReiki and Pet Wellness

HEALTHY TAILSLiving with a Special Needs Pet

HEALTHY TAILSDiagnostic Imaging Now available at Houston Area Vets

TRAINING & BEHAVIORNew Canine Life and Social Skills (C.L.A.S.S.) program

AGILITY SERIES - PART VIIIGames to Play with 3 Jumps

GIMME SHELTERMeet the Adoptable Dogs from Second Chance GermanShepherd Rescue of Houston

Animals are suchagreeable friends – theyask no questions, they

pass no criticisms.

George Eliot

nother promising start to a new year!Our January/February combined issueis dedicated to helping pet owners find

solutions to their pet’s health issues and pro-mote canine wellness.One complimentary treatment to traditional

medicine is reiki, an energy healing technique. Ithas been used to accelerate healing, balance theflow of energy by releasing blockages, amongsta host of other things. To learn more aboutreiki, turn to page 10.Also in this issue, we outline a few tips to help

you avoid costly vet visits this year. Regularcheck-ups at your veterinarian are one way tohelp prevent unplanned visits. Read the full liston page 13.

If you’ve been following Lesley Young’sAgility Series, your skill level has developed and

Editorial

A

Issue 1: Volume 6www.urbanpawsmagazine.com

you are now ready for some more advancedexercises. Learn new games to play with threejumps on page 22.This month’s cover dog is Tara from Second

Chance German Shepherd Rescue in Houston.To read more about this fun loving girl andother adoptable German Shepherds, flip to theGimme Shelter section.If you haven’t already, become a fan of Urban

Paws on Facebook or follow us on Twitter forthe most up-to-date information.As we welcome another new year, we look for-

ward to providing you with even more informa-tion and entertaining articles on pet-related top-ics.

Jennifer Kitchens

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

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

JANUARY 7Canine Massage Workshopat Rummy’s Beach Club in Spring. Class beginsat 8:30 am. To register, visitwww.rummysbeachclub.com.

JANUARY 8Meet & Greet Adoption EventCome out and meet the adoptable Beaglesfrom Houston Beagle and Hound Rescue atPetSmart, I-45 and FM 1960 from noon until3:00 pm. For more adoption event dates, visitwww.houstonbeaglerescue.org.

JANUARY 15Chevron Houston MarathonRun for a reason this year and help supportvarious Houston-area charities, including theHouston SPCA and Citizens for AnimalProtection. For registration information, visitwww.chevronhoustonmarathon.com.

JANUARY 21Barrio Dogs Pet Awareness DayBe your own hero by educating your communi-ty. The Barrio Dogs education campaign aimsto raise awareness of the following: leash yourdogs, no more chains and spay/neuter.Stephanie’s Ice House, 5434 Lawndale from5:00 - 9:00 pm. Proceeds will benefit theMason/Magnolia Park Project. For more infor-mation, visit www.barriodogs.org.

FEBRUARY 4Adoption EventMeet the adoptable dogs from Adopt aRescued Friend at Petco, 19507 I-45 N. inSpring from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. For more adoptionevent dates, visit www.adoptarescuedfriend.org.

FEBRUARY 9Puppy Love Yappy HourHouston Beagle Rescue is hosting a fundraiserat Upper Level MarqE Entertainment Center,7620 Katy Freeway, Suite 355 from 6:00 - 9:00p.m. Silent auction. A $10.00 donation benefitsHouston Beagle Rescue. RSVP by February 7thto [email protected].

FEBRUARY 10-19Puppy Love Yappy HourMontgomery County Animal Shelter will offeradoption specials, including two puppies foronly $100 (or one for $50), two-for-one catsand kittens of all ages (or one for $32.50), andhalf-price dogs over the age of six months.For more information, visit www.mcaspets.org.

FEBRUARY 11Murder Mystery GalaSpay/Houston and Adopt A Cat are hostingthis fundraiser to raise money for itsspay/neuter clinic and no kill cat sanctuary andshelter. The evening will include an interactivemurder mystery show, dinner, live music andsilent auction. Super Happy Fun Land, 3801Polk Street from 6:00 - 10:00 pm. Tickets are$35 in advance. To purchase tickets, visitwww.spayhouston.org.

FEBRUARYPet Dental Health Month

CALENDAR

THE SCOOP

STARS OF THE LITTLE COUPLE TVSHOW OPEN ROCKY AND MAGGIE’SPET SHOP INHOUSTONBill Klein and Jen Arnold, stars of the popularTLC Network series, “The Little Couple” areopening Rocky and Maggie’s Pet Shop. Namedafter their beloved pets and co-stars of theshow, a six-pound Chihuahua and seven-poundTerrier mix, the store will carry a huge assort-ment of fun toys, comfy beds, stylish collars,cool accessories and healthy foods and treats.Bill and Jen are just like your average married

couple– except for the fact that they’re bothunder 4 feet tall! Bill is a successful businessmanand Jen is a neonatologist at Texas Children’sHospital in Houston. Along with Maggie andRocky, they currently star in TLC’s successfuldocu-drama series, “The Little Couple.” Now init’s fourth season, the show follows them as theybuild their life together in Houston, TX. Theyhave made personal appearances on GoodMorning America, Oprah, The Today Show, Dr.Oz, The Doctors, among others.The grand opening of the pet shop will be

Friday, February 3rd and Saturday, February 4thfrom 10a.m. – 8p.m. and is located in the heartof Rice Village at 2535 Times Blvd. For moreinformation, visit www.rockyandmaggies.com.

SHELTER PARTNERSHIP AIMED ATCONTROLLING THE FERAL CAT POPU-LATION IN CONROEThe Conroe Animal Shelter and Spay/Houstonhave partnered to help control the feral cat pop-ulation in Conroe and Willis.The Trap, Neuter and Return effort, aided by

a $10,000 donation from the Robbie JonesAnimal Welfare Fund, is aimed at controlling the


stray cat population while attempting to cutdown the number of animals at the shelter.The $50 flat rate the organization charges forferal cat TNR includes a rabies shot to also helpwith disease control. Before being released, thecats’ ears are clipped to show they have alreadybeen treated to avoid being trapped again.Training and cages to trap the stray cats will be

provided by the Clipped Ear Cat Sanctuary,which is based in Montgomery County and isbuilding its first physical location in NorthConroe in spring 2012.Executive Director of Spay Houston, Deana

Sellens said she wants Conroe’s numbers todecrease so she can persuade other shelters thathave a stray cat problem, and many rural areasnearby like Conroe that attract the large num-bers of feral cats to take action and bring cats tothem to help the growing issue.

NEW SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE FORPET LOVERS LAUNCHEDPetpav (short for Pet-Pavilion) is the newestonline pet community for pets and pet ownersto communicate with one another, make friends,and find the latest pet information. There areinformative articles, videos, and pet businesses.Create a profile for free at www.petpav.com.

NEWDOG PARKOPENS IN SPRINGLents Family Park officially opened inNovember 2011 and is comprised of an EastPark and a West Park, both located just blocksaway from FM 1960 West and Interstate 45.Lents Family Park West is a 16 acre park locat-

ed on the south side of Cypress Trace Road.Amenities at the Lents Family Park Westincludes a 1.0 mile walking trail, separate dogparks for small and large dogs, playgrounds, and


THE SCOOP

a pavilion. For park rules and location, visitwww.lentsfamilypark.com.

IAMS HOME 4 THE HOLIDAYS 2011CAMPAIGN RESULTS ARE INIams Home 4 the Holidays, one of the world’slargest pet adoption programs, announced todaythat1,267,541 animals were adopted in just 95days – Oct. 1, 2011 through Jan. 3, 2012! Sinceit began 13 years ago, Iams and founding part-ner Helen Woodward Animal Center, along withmore than 4,000 animal organizations fromacross the globe, have helped a total of7,034,989 pets find forever homes.“In just three months, we’ve saved the lives of

more than 1.2 million animals and have giventhem a second chance at life and love,” saidMike Arms, founder of the adoption drive andpresident of Helen Woodward Animal Center.“Not only is this a huge victory for these pets,but for the thousands of people working in ani-

mal organizations around the world who havededicated their lives to helping end pet home-lessness.”During the campaign, Iams also met its goal

to donate 5 million meals to pets in needthrough its annual Bags 4 Bowls* programwhich encouraged consumers to “paw it for-ward” by engaging in activities that would resultin food donations to participating organizations,such as: “Like” the Iams Facebook page; down-load and share custom online adoptionannouncement and holiday cards and badges;and purchase specially-marked bags of Iams catand dog foods.

THE HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNIT-ED STATES RELEASES HUMANE STATERANKINGS FOR 2011The HSUS has released its third annual compre-hensive report rating all 50 states and DC on awide range of animal protection laws on issuesranging from animal fighting to farm animals towildlife to companion animals. This year, Texas,whose scored increased from 2010, was rankednumber 25 and scored 27 out of a possible 66.Recently enacted puppy mill laws and thestrengthening of animal fighting laws con-tributed to the increased score.

CORRECTION: Last month’s story titled“Uniting Against Animal Cruelty in Crosby,Texas” listed an incorrect web site address. Thecorrect address should readwww.crosbypuppymassacre.wordpress.com.

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


BODY & SOUL

Reiki and Pet Wellness By Teri Van Horn, RM/TReiki with Pets

Not a day goes by that I don’t receive aphone call, text message or email aboutsomeone’s beloved pet needing a heal-

ing session because of an injury or illness. Afterall, that’s what we do, but… just like workingwith your veterinarian, Reiki treatments can beused as a preventative, too.

Each year you receive a card in the mail remind-ing you to take care of your pet’s vaccinations,worming, etc., so why not add an emotional andphysical check-up as well?

Reiki is excellent for injuries, illnesses, emotion-al trauma, physical trauma, birth defects, and forhelping rescues regain trust in humans so thatthey can join families and do what it is they dobest… love! Reiki is also excellent for assistingwith births, surgeries, training, and the inevitableloss of a pet.

Since Reiki is an energy healing technique, it cannever do harm to you or your pet, and it willpromote a loving, peaceful, calm atmosphere foryou and your animal. Once your pet is relaxedand calm, it automatically allows their ownimmune system to start working to overcomeanything that might need attention, in additionto speeding the healing process.

Because Reiki works on a physical AND emo-tional level, it can help in some ways that tradi-tional healthcare cannot… such as bringing anill animal out of a depressed state, or helping apet become more relaxed and pain-free, againreducing healing time significantly.

Reiki is an accepted Complimentary Treatmentin the traditional medical and research fields for

people and animals. There are healers andcourses available anywhere in the world – butunlike traditional medicine, you can contact aReiki Master thousands of miles away and theycan still treat you or your dog. According toAlbert Einstein, “Everything is energy and that’sall there is to it. Match the frequency of thereality you want and you cannot help but getthat reality. It can be no other way. This is notphilosophy. This is physics.” So what was thatabout? A Reiki Master is someone who hastechnically mastered the ability to use energy toheal… whether it’s in person or from a distance.They use that energy to remove blockages with-in the body (which we all have) and clear the wayfor the body to function at its highest capacity.

Have you ever had a really bad day at work andended-up later that evening with a stomachache, headache, sore throat, or lower backache?That’s due to an energy blockage in your ownbody, which can generally be opened-up andcorrected within just a few minutes by someonewho is trained in these techniques. The samething goes for your dog. He can have physicalor emotional issues (abandonment, fear, trust,etc.), which causes him/her to have blockageswhich will manifest in a physical form, just likeyou do. The reason why this happens isbecause our energy centers are directly related toboth the glandular and nervous centers in ourbodies. Therefore, if you adopted a rescuepuppy and it has fears based on previous abuseor neglect, chances are that it’s going to haveproblems with potty training and being destruc-tive while left alone. These are issues that arevery easy to correct… generally with 1-2 halfhour Reiki sessions.

R

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Of course there are times when your dogbecomes ill, sustains an injury or needs surgery,and those are excellent times to provide themwith Reiki sessions. When partnering with aveterinarian on the healthcare of pets, theresults have been astounding. To this date, wehave had 100% success in helping our clients,humans and pets, with whatever their particularproblems are. How many doctors can you sayhave that high of a success rate?

At the same time, Reiki is still considered aComplimentary Treatment, and we will neveradvise you to turn your back on traditionalhealthcare. In fact, we now have some veteri-narians who actually recommend us to theirclients!

When providing our canine clients with Reiki,we’ve been able to prevent fleas, cure sarcoptic

mange, heal damaged ligaments/tendons, repairbroken/dislocated bones, remove ear mites,pain relief, neurological damage, tooth aches,eliminate worms, calm hyperactivity, reducestress, sore muscles, cuts/scrapes, vomiting,diarrhea, promote well-being/self-confidence,reduce insecurity and correct negative behaviorfor rescues. I’ve also used Reiki to assist withcommunicating with animals and with herding,training and behavioral issues.

When going over the list, it sounds like Reiki isa magical “cure all” for whatever ails your dog…and sometimes it is! When it comes to our pets,health care is extremely important because theycan’t tell us what’s wrong or why they feel bad.The beauty of Reiki is that we don’t have to per-form expensive testing or wait for an appoint-ment. We can help your pet anytime… any-where… and we ALWAYS heal the total animal!Continued on page 20...


Living With a Special Needs Pet By Shannon L. HillAuthor of The Rescuer's Handbook

love special needs pets. I live with Bumble,who is...extra special; he’s mostly blind,mostly deaf, and epileptic. He has joint

deformities and age-related cognitive dysfunc-tion. When I adopted Bumble several years ago,he had been with me less than a week when he

I had never witnessed a grand mal seizure, andwatching my little boy convulsing helplesslyscared me to death. Mercifully, I have a great vetwho reassured me that epilepsy is very manage-able.

I quicklylearned whatworks forBumble tokeep himhealthy andcomfortable.He takes med-ication for theepilepsy andcognitive dys-f u n c t i o n .Regular chiropractic adjustments, pain medica-tion, and cold laser therapy help his fragile jointsstay mobile.

People often shy away from adopting specialneeds pets. They think the cost will be too great,or that they won’t be able to cope with the newpet’s needs. Truthfully, most special needs petslive very normal lives, with perhaps a few minorenvironmental adjustments. Blind pets learn tonavigate quickly, as long as their surroundings

are consistent. Deaf pets can be taught torespond to visual cues quite easily. A host ofother medical conditions can be managed withmedication or diet.

Even the healthiest pet can develop specialneeds. Attention to detail is critical. A blind petneeds all sharp objects and potential obstaclesremoved. A deaf pet needs to be trained towatch for hand signals. A pet with kidney prob-lems needs to eat a lower protein diet. If your

pet is epilep-tic, you’lllearn to iden-tify and avoidseizure trig-gers. Onceyou knowwhat works, its i m p l ybecomes anormal partof your rou-tine.

Whether you’re looking for a new pet or dealingwith new veterinary conditions in an existingfamily member, don’t assume that special needsare unmanageable. Inform yourself. Find a goodvet who will answer your questions in detail andkeep you up to date on new treatments orresearch. The more you know, the better you canmeet your pet’s needs. They’re worth it.

I

HEALTHY TAILS

Ways to Avoid Costly Vet Visits in 2012

For many of us, our new year’s resolution was tosave more money and look for ways to cut costs.By being aware of dangerous items and makinga few small changes to you and your dog’s rou-tine, you can avoid canine misery and the finan-cial hardship of an unnecessary trip to the vet.

1. Unless your dog has absolutely perfect recall,always use a leash. Be cautious about where andwhen you allow your dog off-leash.

2. Even leashed dogs can get into trouble iftheir owners aren’t watching, so pay attention toyour dog. There are many bad things can hap-pen in an instance. Dogs may walk around blindcorners ahead of their owners and for thosewho use retractable leashes in such a way thattheir dogs might as well not be leashed at all.

3. Use common sense and be cautious aroundother dogs. Even though your dog is friendly,the dog he’s checking out may not be. Ask thedog’s owner whether it’s safe to let them sniffface-to-face. If the other dog’s owner isn’taround, that should tell you how responsible heor she is. Use caution in such cases.

4. Yes, it’s a nuisance to brush your dog’s teethevery day, but the fact is, regular brushing willspare your dog the hardship of dental disease.While many pet owners claim that their specialdiet or treat or toy alleviates the need, the fact isthat nothing works as well as tooth brushing.Regular brushing will spare your dog the hard-ship of dental disease like nothing else and isalso is your best bet for avoiding expensive den-tal work down the road.

5. A well-socialized dog gets into fewer fightsand is less likely to behave aggressively towardhumans, so it’s best to socialize your dog prop-erly. Well-socialized dogs allow their owners tobrush their teeth, trim their nails and check theirears — saving you the expense of paying forunnecessary vet visits or trips to the groomer.

6. Keep toxic or dangerous items locked up orout of reach. While most of us know thatchocolate is toxic to dogs, there are plenty ofother problematic ingestible items. Many dogsspend time at the vet after consuming sugarlessgum (one ingredient, xylitol, can be highly toxicto susceptible dogs), macadamia nuts, raisins, oreven overdoses of their own palatable medica-tions, such as Rimadyl.

7. Talk to your vet before you give human med-ications to your pet. Some human medicationsare markedly toxic to pets. Some, such as aspirin,rarely work and may interfere dangerously withother medications that may be effective. Givingyour dog a few Advils for a sore paw couldresult in a hospital visit, so it’s best not to giveyour dog human medications.

8. Get regular veterinary checkups. Planned vis-its can prevent unplanned ones by catchingproblems before they get out of control.



ue to the efforts of Small of AnimalImaging of America (SAIOA), a tech-nology still largely obscure in the field

of veterinary medicine is becoming more wide-spread. SAIOA announces its partnership withthree veterinary facilities in Houston to provideComputed Tomography (CT) to NorthHouston Veterinary Specialists and Gulf CoastVeterinary Specialists, and Magnetic ResonanceImaging (MRI) to Sugar Land VeterinarySpecialists. These facilities are among the fewveterinary hospitals in the greater Houston areato offer advanced diagnostic imaging capabili-ties.

“We are very pleased to offer this equipment toanimal hospitals and veterinarians in Houstonand the Texas Gulf Coast region,” said BrianCampbell, president of SAIOA. “It is our goalto make this technology widely available, toenhance and expand veterinarians’ practices andimprove the quality of care for pets. Diagnosticimaging makes a faster, more efficient, surgical-free diagnosis for pets possible.”

CT is an advanced X-ray imaging techniquewidely available to human patients since the late1970’s. Its use on animals is more recent andlimited. In the CT scanner, multiple focused X-ray beams are sent through the body to detec-tors, which rotate around 360 degrees takingimages of the patient one “slice” at a time. The

data (or “signals”) are collected and transferredto a sophisticated computer, which thenprocesses the signals to produce a digital image.CT is superior to conventional X-rays because itprovides an enhanced internal image of thepatient and does not superimpose bone massover soft tissue. This procedure is most usefulwhen examining bony structures and, to a cer-tain extent, soft tissue abnormalities. Thestrongest “animal candidates” for CT scansinclude those with complex bony abnormalitiesor thoracic pathologies.

MRI is a sophisticated, non-invasive imagingtechnique in wide use among human patientssince the 1980’s. It uses strong magnetic fieldsand radio waves to produce superior images ofthe brain, spine, musculoskeletal system, joints,tendons, organs and all soft tissues in extraordi-nary, unparalleled detail. While soft tissue istransparent in X-rays or CT, MRI offers thecapability to differentiate tissues and identifyand characterize even the most subtle abnormal-ities that are not detectable using other imagingmethods, including ultrasound, CT, myelogra-phy or X-ray. Unlike myelography, MRI is farmore accurate for spinal column disease diag-noses. With MRI, the spinal cord can be seen inmultiple planes without overlay of bone or softtissue. MRI is ideal for diagnoses involvingspinal cord and neurological conditions — themajority of these conditions can only be accu-

D

HEALTHY TAILS

Small Animal Imaging of America BringsDiagnostic Imaging to Houston-Area

Veterinary Hospitals


rately diagnosed using MRI.

Small Animal Imaging of America creates part-nerships between animal hospitals and veteri-narians across the U.S. to own and operate diag-nostic imaging equipment (MRI and CT), allow-ing vets to access this advanced technologywithout the hassle of installation, maintenanceor staff training. SAIOA also provides vetsaccess to the expertise of trained techniciansand more than 200 board-certified radiologistsworldwide, and offers continuing veterinaryeducation. For more information, please visitwww.saioa.com.

North Houston Veterinary Specialists is aregional animal hospital located approximately20 miles northeast of Houston in Humble,Texas. It acts as an extension of a primary vet-erinarian’s practice to provide diagnostic imag-ing, emergency care, surgery, oncology andinternal medicine services including ultrasound,endoscopic procedures, bone marrow biopsiesand joint taps on an outpatient, referral-onlybasis. For more information, please visitwww.nhvetspecialists.com.

Sugar Land Veterinary Specialists is a regionalanimal hospital located approximately 20 milessouthwest of Houston in Sugar Land, Texas. Italso acts an extension of a primary veterinarian’spractice to provide diagnostic imaging, emer-gency care, surgery, radiation therapy, radioio-dine, oncology, internal medicine and neurology,on an outpatient, referral-only basis. For moreinformation, please visitwww.slvetspecialists.com.

Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists is a referral-only, multi-practice veterinary facility in the cen-ter of Houston, providing a range of specializedcare including diagnostic imaging, dermatology,internal medicine, neurology, oncology, rehabili-tation and surgery. This hospital also treatsexotic animals and avians. For more informa-tion, please visit www.gcvs.com.

Examples of CT and MRI images

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, crappy 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

TRAINING

Local Dog Trainer Certified by New Program to PromoteTraining and Increase Public Access for Dogs

The Canine Life and Social Skills (C.L.A.S.S.)Program seeks to improve the lives of dogs andtheir owners in Houston, Texas and nationwide.Chrissie Dugas of Paw It Forward Training

was recently certified as an Evaluator in the newCanine Life and Social Skills (C.L.A.S.S.) pro-gram. Paw It Forward Training provides privatein-home training, group classes, S.T.A.R. Puppyand C.G.C. prep classes and certifications, daytraining, seminars, and non-profit organizationtraining programs. C.L.A.S.S. group class pro-grams will be held at two locations: Carter’s PetDepot in Houston and Four Seasons VeterinaryClinic in Spring.C.L.A.S.S. is an educational program designed

to promote training focusing on the use of pos-itive reinforcement and to strengthen relation-ships between humans and their canine com-panions. The mission of C.L.A.S.S. is to pro-mote positive relationships through positivetraining methods. This approach both developsand safeguards harmonious relationships bymaintaining trust and mutual respect.Developed by the Association of Pet Dog

Trainers (APDT), the C.L.A.S.S. program isdesigned to benefit pet owners and their caninecompanions, dog trainers and others who workwith dogs, animal shelters, and the communityoverall. In a series of real-life activities throughwhich an owner accompanies his dog, C.L.A.S.S.Evaluators will assess a dog/owner team’s coretraining skills, with options to test advancedtraining skills. There are three C.L.A.S.S. levels:the Bachelor’s (B.A.), Master’s (M.A.), andDoctorate (Ph.D.). Successfully completing eachC.L.A.S.S. level is like earning an academicdegree in real-life skills with your dog.

The Objectives of C.L.A.S.S. are to:• Promote reward-based training• Strengthen dog/owner relationships throughshared activity and fun, positive training• Encourage dog owners to participate in ongo-ing training and activities with their dogs• Value the real-life skills of dog/owner teams• Educate pet owners in dog behaviorC.L.A.S.S. Evaluators are Full and Professional

Level APDT members. Evaluators administerC.L.A.S.S. assessments and score performancesof teams, and provide feedback to teams onhow to improve their training skills. In order tobecome an Evaluator for the program, a Full orProfessional level APDT member must pass aseries of online tests on their training knowl-edge and on the rules of the program, train aminimum number of hours per year to qualify,and receive regular training on program updates.To learn more about C.L.A.S.S., visit the pro-

gram web site at www.mydoghasclass.com. Tolearn more about Chrissie Dugas and Paw ItForward Training, visit the website atwww.pawitforwardtraining.com.

The APDT is a professional educationalorganization of trainers who are committed tobecoming better trainers through using positive,dog friendly methods based on sound scientificprinciples. With over 5,000 members worldwide,the APDT provides professional dog trainerswith a respected and concerted voice. TheAPDT promotes caring relationships betweendogs and people and works to increase publicawareness of dog-friendly training techniques.For more information, visit the web site atwww.apdt.com.



SIX NEWBREEDS TODEBUT ATWESTMINSTER DOG SHOW

ix new breeds will be competing in thisyear’s Westminster Kennel Club DogShow, the oldest and most prestigious

show in North America. The new breeds havejust been recognized by the American KennelClub, will take their place in the ring for the firsttime on February 13-14.

The Cesky Terrier is a well-muscled, shortlegged and well-pigmented hunting terrier thatwas developed to be worked in packs. The breedoriginated in the Czech Republic and is consid-ered one of the country’s national breeds. Assuch, it has been featured on postage stamps, ontelevision, in books and even in a movie. TheCesky has natural drop ears, a natural tail, andsports a soft, long, silky coat in shades of grayfrom charcoal to platinum.

TheAmerican EnglishCoonhound is renownedfor his speed and endurance, and has thestrength, grace and attitude of a well-condi-tioned athlete. Capable of hunting fox and rac-coon all night long, he has an effortless trot thatshows off this endurance. The breed's hard,protective coat is of medium length and can bered and white ticked, blue and white ticked, tri-colored with ticking, red and white, and whiteand black dogs.

The Xoloitzcuintli, or "Xolo," is an ancient,natural breed from Mexico. It comes in threesizes – toy, miniature and standard, and two vari-eties – hairless and coated. In the hairless vari-ety, the skin is tough, protective, smooth andclose fitting. The coated variety is covered by ashort, flat coat. In both varieties, a dark, uni-

form color is preferred, ranging from black, grayblack, slate, to red, liver or bronze, althoughwhite spots and markings are permitted. Today,this breed serves as a guard and companion.

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is a native ofSwitzerland and the smallest of the four tri-col-ored Swiss Mountain Dogs, which also includethe Appenzeller Sennenhund, BerneseMountain Dog and the Greater Swiss MountainDog. The Entlebucher is a medium-sized, com-pact and strongly muscled. He has a short, hard,tricolor coat that is bright black with symmetri-cal markings of pure white on blaze, muzzle,chest, and feet; shades of rich fawn tomahogany are present on the eyebrows andbetween the black and white markings.Although primarily a herding and general all-purpose dog, Entles excel at competitive sportsand are willing and enthusiastic partners in anyathletic canine activity chosen by their master.

The Norwegian Lundehund is a small and agileSpitz breed with several unique characteristics incombination not found in any other dog.Features such as six toes on each foot; prick earsthat fold closed, forward or backward at will;and the ability to tip the head backward until ittouches the back bone all helped them performtheir job as Puffin hunter. Their dense coatranges from fallow to reddish brown to tan incolor, with black hair tips and white markings, orwhite with red or dark markings.

S


Maggie’s Story

Maggie is an adorable 13 year old schnau-zer/husky mix who has gone through a series ofdifficulties over the past few years. Two yearsago she had bladder stones and was put on aprescription diet thru her veterinarian.

Fifteen months ago Maggie had surgery torepair a torn ACL. She seemed to recover, butover this last summer she became lethargic andnot herself. She would be lying down asleep,then suddenly jump up, tuck her tail, and slinkunder the table. She would lie down and pantheavily, often waking her owner in the middle ofthe night. Maggie’s back legs would quiver withweakness on occasion, but she didn’t appear tobe in significant pain. Sometimes she wouldthrow up right after she woke up. It was pitifuland sad, and her owner started to believe thatthis was the beginning of the end for her pre-cious Maggie.

Her blood work showed elevated liver and pan-creas enzymes but not to the point of pancreati-tis. She was close to having Cushing’s disease onher cortisol tests but not to the point treatmentwas necessary. So there really wasn’t a diagnosisbut her owner started her on Sam-e to detox herliver.

Around that time, her owner contacted me andbegan giving her (recommended) herbs toreduce the level of pain and discomfort, in addi-tion to making changes to her diet, reducing thelevels of protein that she was receiving.

According to Maggie’s owner, “Right after youstarted the Reiki treatments with her, Maggieperked up and wasn’t so ‘hang-dog’ all the time.

It has been a progression with Maggie, but shehas thrown up only once since we started andnow she has an appetite. She still takes thearthritis medications, but not as much. Theother pain medications, are now as needed--sheis still 13 after all and has some bad days! Ibelieve the Reiki energy from you, Teri, is whatmade it all come together. We still use steps toget up on the bed, but she gets up on the couchwhen she wants now, and best of all, when shecomes in from the yard, her tail and her head areheld high, she is trotting like a puppy again andshe is my happy daughter-dog again!”

Maggie is a wonderful, happy girl, who is againenjoying life to the fullest. We expect to haveher around for many more years to come!

Reiki with Rescues - Continued

AGILITY

Part VI1I - Games to Play with 3 Jumps By Lesley Young (MAHonsDog Angels US

Last month we focused on value building forhurdles and developing ‘drive’ to jump.Naturally fun and speed are core elements ofagility training, but courses are not just straightlines! You also need to be able to turn your dog,as tightly as possible, without dropping a bar.The best teamwork is developed if your dog isable to anticipate the turn – even as they adjusttheir stride to take off! The faster the dog isdriving forward, the more challenging it is tomake a good turn. For this reason, developing aclear signal – or cue – is vital.In previous articles I mentioned the ‘Driving

Hand’ (the side nearest the dog, that tells themto drive) and the ‘Checking Hand’ (the outsidehand) that tells your dog to turn towards you. Asyour combined skill level develops, you are nowready for some more advanced exercises, bring-ing your driving hand and checking hand intoplay to tell your dog to adjust their stride andturn towards you, over the hurdle.Remember, your Driving Hand is best held flatand vertical around waist height as you work acourse. (No messy flicking your hand about orraising it in the air over jumps please!). Yourchecking hand – the outer hand, is used with apointed finger, very clearly giving a separate cue.The Driving Hand says “take the obstacle” andthe Checking Hand says “turn towards me”.An ideal way to practice this is with a rope toy

or tuggy. If your dog does not like such gamesthen a ‘Bumper’ stuffed with treats can do justas well, especially the ones with a long handle.So far as possible, develop the hand signals thatyou will use for turns and follow through with agame of tug – or reward with treats as your dog

turns towards you. Start with the hurdle at alower height than your dog is currently jumping.When we raise one criterion, initially lower oth-ers – in this case literally. Turning is hard workand you don’t want to start introducing badhabits from the start like crashing bars.Similarly, you can start by setting your dog at

an angle to the hurdle, making it easier for themto make the turn successfully. As your dogbegins to get the idea, gradually make the angleof approach harder. You can then progress tohaving the reward (tug toy or ‘bumper’) tuckedin a pocket or belt and even continuing over anadjacent hurdle before rewarding your dog.Remember to practice on both the left and theright.With thanks to club member Birdy a

Weimaraner, age 15 months, and her handlerSusan.

Lesley Young (MA Hons), has 17 years experience ofDog Training - relocating to The Woodlands, Texas in2009. Lesley runs pet Dog, Puppy and Agility classesand is an AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. For amore detailed guide to this exercise, visit theResources page of her website, www.dogangels.us.


A great way to practice is with a rope toy or tuggy.

Use the driving hand to say “take the obstacle” and the checking hand to say “turn towards me”

Follow through with a game of tug or reward with treats as your dog turns towards you

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

Tara is a young, fun, loyal, obedient andloving 8 month old girl! She was broughtto an animal shelter after being found inthe streets where she had clearly been hitby a car. Her back right hip was complete-ly raw and she also had some minor cutson her lips. She has recovered nicely and issuch a joy to have around. In our experi-ence Tara generally gets along with dogs ofall sizes, cats and she adores kids! She lovesher belly rubs, loves to give kisses and real-ly loves nothing more than getting to sleepon a nice, cozy bed! She will be an awe-some addition to any family!

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,Tara!

Second Chance German Shepherd Rescue Houstonwww.secondchanceshepherds.org

Second Chance German Shepherd Rescue Houston (aka Second Chance Shepherds) is a non-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing ofGerman Shepherd Dogs (GSDs). Their goal is to find caring and responsible homes for thedogs and to educate the general public on the GSD breed. Second Chance Shepherds rescuesGSDs from all over the state of Texas, concentrating their efforts in the greater Houston area.


GIMME SHELTER

PhotobyPawPrintsPetPhotography

Paris is about a year old and is a sweet andsassy little thing! She is still a puppy so she isfull of energy and loves to play. She was foundroaming the streets and was skinny and emaci-ated, but now she is in a good place learningmanners, enjoying life and loving every meal!Paris is looking for her ‘furever’ home whereshe will be loved and will always love in return!

Beau is fun-loving, energetic, sweet and full of per-sonality. We like to say he has ‘personality plus!’ Heis about 18 months old and is catching on veryquickly with obedience training and learning bound-aries. Beau is a very large boy who doesn’t realize justhow big he really is and wants to be a lap dog. Beauwill need to go to an owner who is willing to contin-ue obedience training and who will be strong packleader. Beau is such a wonderful boy and is sure tobring lots of joy and laughter in to his ‘furever’home!

Yukon is a gentle giant with a heart as big as he is. This sweetboy was sitting in his own filth in a shelter for 6 months whilethe staff there worked hard to keep him from being eutha-nized and to give him his hopeful second chance. He got thatsecond chance and he is now a very strong and confidentboy, who gets along great with other large dogs. His spirit isso encouraging as he has not let the rough years he hasendured change his sweet and gentle temperament. He lovesto romp around outside chasing balls and toys or laying onthe floor for some belly rubs just as long as he has your loveand loyalty in return.


Beau

Paris

Shay Shay is 2 years old and is a very sweet, soft andgentle girl. She found herself lying on the hardfloor of a shelter after her owner decided heno longer wanted her. She was so confused.She has really started to trust others now, real-izing that she won’t ever be left alone again.Shay gets along wonderfully with other dogsand with kids as well. Shay is a beautiful girl,with the personality to match.

Yukon


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