Having a Heat Wave

Well, the warm weather has finally arrived, and everyone and their dog is feeling it!  Please remember that dogs don't sweat as humans do, so they have a harder time regulating their body temperature in the hot weather.  Panting helps, but it isn't enough to cool them down on the really hot days.  Some things to remember to help your canine companions during the hot weather:

• Always, always make sure your dog has access to fresh water.  If you take your dog to the park or on a long walk, bring water and offer it regularly.  If your dog is crated during the day and your house is not air conditioned, be sure to install a crate bowl (they attach to the side of the crate) and keep it filled with fresh water.
• If your dog spends a lot of time in your yard, be sure to place a large bowl of fresh water in a shady location for them to drink from.  Remember to empty it daily, or the local bugs will lay their eggs in it.  Drinking contaminated water can lead to some serious pet diseases!  Also, for this reason, don't allow your dog to drink from standing water, puddles or local lakes and streams.  All these water sources are likely infected with several parasites and bacteria, which can make your dog very sick.
• Have fun playing with your dog outside this summer, but please shorten your play sessions and offer water frequently to prevent overheating.
• Never, never leave your dog in the car during the summer months!  If the temperature is above 70 degrees, then it is too hot to leave your dog in the car, even for a short time.  The temperature in a car, even one with the window cracked, will quickly reach 20 to 30 degrees ABOVE the outside temperature!  Even parking in the shade doesn't help much; plus, as the sun moves, that shade can dissappear while you are away.  Dogs will quickly find themselves in distress and many die in hot cars each year.  Don't let your dog be one of them.  Also, serious overheating can lead to illnesses and even neurological damage, so please, please leave your dog at home if he won't be able to accompany you inside at your destination.
• If you have breed with a very short (or no) snout, be extra careful this summer.  These dogs have compromised breathing systems.  They have trouble panting properly and can quickly overheat, even on a short walk, on a hot summer's day.
• Black and dark-colored dogs absorb the sun's rays, making them overheat more quickly than light-colored dogs, whose coats will reflect some of the sun.  Be aware of this if you have dog with a dark coat.
• Not all dogs can swim well!  Certain breeds are not able to paddle in a manner that will keep them afloat.  Even dogs that can swim can get in trouble if they swim too far from the bank. Please supervise your dog at all times while he is in the water.

Dog Park Etiquette

This month, instead of featuring just one dog as Pet of the Month, we decided to do a feature designed to help a whole bunch of them, all of whom are regular users of the Shelton Dog Park.  The dog park is ramping up for the summer months, with capacity crowds on the weekends.  Attendance on weekdays is nothing to sniff at, either!  One of the issues with such a well-used space is that there are occasionally issues between dogs (and sometimes their owners!).  The Friends of Shelton Dog Park, a volunteer organization that works to maintain and improve the park and of which I'm a member, has drawn up an informational handout entitled 'Dog Park Etiquette'.  This handout is for informational purposes and is in addition to the posted park rules.  It is designed to help everyone (dogs and humans) get the most out of such a busy park.

Dog Park Etiquette

Over the past couple of months, the Friends have been fielding phone calls and answering questions regarding breaches of dog park rules and etiquette. Some of the questions involved incidents in which the police needed to be called. Others were mattersfor which we were able to offer advice and assistance. Most, however, were issues between the humans and their canine park users that really need to be addressed and resolved by the parties involved. Having said that, however, often, one party has been willing to work through the matter, while the other either denied there was a problem, was rude and threatening (even using abusive language in a couple of cases) or just plain did not care to resolve the matter at all. Please remember, everyone, that the dog park is a community resource that should be treated, and used, with care and respect for all. As the summer months approach, the park will be busier than ever. Please be courteous to all park users, supervise your dog at all times and be prepared to step in if your dog (or your children) are disrupting other's enjoyment of the park. With this in mind, let's address some of the issues that have arisen:

• Unsupervised dogs - This is the biggest issue at the park. If you took your young child to a playground, would you stand on one side of the playground and talk to other parents, leaving your child to play out of your sight? Would you allow him to jump on other kids and bully them? or bite them? or harrass them if they wanted to be left alone? If another parent whose child your child was bothering asked you to control your child, would you? or would you just say 'Kids will be kids,' and let your child continue his bad behavior? If you continued to allow your child to exhibit bad behavior, you would soon find that you would not be very welcome at the playground. Well, the same goes for the Dog Park. Dogs are more like children than many people realize. Some of us even refer to our dogs as our furry children. In any case, we are just as responsible for our dog's behavior as we are for that of our children. In order to ensure that all park users can enjoy the park with their dogs, everyone is asked to supervise their dog at all times. If you see your dog harrassing another dog or person, exhibiting aggressive behavior (this includes non-stop barking, jumping on other dogs and humping them or biting their necks, etc.), jumping up on people, etc., please get your dog to stop the behaviour - immediately. If he will not stop, please remove him from the park. Some dogs exhibiting this behaviour are just having a 'bad day', and really do know better. Feel free to bring them back another time. If, however, your dog almost always exhibits disruptive behaviour when at the park, then its time to think about providing some remedial training, so he can learn to 'play nice with others' before bringing him back to the park. If you need help with this, please let us know, as we can put you in touch with a good trainer or animal behaviorist.
• Unneutered dogs - While there is no requirement that a male dog be neutered to use the park, it is strongly advised. This is because unneutered male dogs have a full load of testosterone and this makes them more likely to exhibit aggressive, dominant behaviours toward other dogs using the park than a neutered dog would. Unneutered male dogs also pose a risk to the unspayed female dogs at the park. While females in heat are not allowed in the park, it can sometimes be hard to identify the beginning of a dog's heat cycle. This means that there is the potential for 'unwanted pregnancies' if unneutered males are present. It should be noted that, once the dogs 'couple', which happens very quickly, there is no way to get them apart until the deed is done. Also, just as with human 'dads', canine dads can be held liable for medical and child/pup care costs associated with a pregnancy. On a final note: Neutering (or spaying) your dog will help your dog to live a healthier and happier life. Click here to see the top 10 reasons to spay and neuter your pets.
• Muzzled dogs - If you feel your dog needs to wear a muzzle as you can't fully trust him around other dogs, then we suggest that the dog park is really not the place for him. A muzzled dog, when surrounded by lots of other unmuzzled dogs running free, will feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. He will know that he can't defend himself should another dog become aggessive . . . and so will the other dogs at the park. Dogs, like kids, are really good at spotting and exploiting vulnerability in their peers. A muzzled dog amongst lots of umuzzled ones can easily disrupt the energy of the pack, leading to unpleasant confrontations and even serious fights. If your muzzled dog can't defend himself, he could be seriously injured. Please work with a trainer until you can be sure your dog is ready to enter the park, unmuzzled.
• Small Children - While the dog park is a great place for dogs, and older children are welcome to come along and watch the dogs play, it is not adviseable to bring small children into the park, especially at busy times and especially not into the large dog enclosure. There have been several incidents where young children wandering the park were knocked over by large dogs as they raced by in play. Also, just entering the park can be hazardous for small children, as the dogs in the park are likely to come over and offer a friendly greeting, which can cause the child to fall or get scared and run away (which of course, the dogs will take as play and head off in pursuit...). Please consider before bringing small children to the park. If you must bring them, please keep a close eye on them and keep them near the fence at all times.
• Food - Please DO NOT bring food into the dog park. This includes both human and canine food. (The exception is a small amount of well hidden training treats, if needed.) Dogs can smell food a mile away, and they WILL harrass you for 'their' share. With 15 to 30 dogs in the park at any one time, this can lead to food fights - not a good thing!
• Poop Pick-Up - Dogs brough to the park will poop - always. Pet parents are required to pick up their dog's poop while at the park (and while on any city property) - always. Please utilize the new dog bag box located in the lobby area of the dog park. It is full of donated bags. It helps us to save money and to be 'green' as the specially made bags for the poop dispensers are expensive!
• Park Hours - Like all Shelton City Parks, the dog park is open dawn to dusk. As dusk approaches, please gather your canine crew and head on home.
• Foul Langauge - There have been several instances where park users have used foul language and even become verbally abusive when asked to control their dog (or their child) or to abide by park rules, including poop scooping. Please remember, bad behavior is never appropriate. The park is meant to be a place where all dogs and their humans can relax and have a good time. If you, your dog or your child are disrupting the enjoyment of other park users, or failing to abide by park rules, then be prepared to be asked to take appropriate action to restore pack equilibrium and to help maintain the park.
• Water - While there are plans to install running water at the park, there is currently no water supply. Please bring water for your dog. Please take the empty water containers away with you. Don't leave them in the park for other users. No one will use them and they quickly pile up and become unsightly trash.

Please note the following resources and actions you can take to help us make the park a pleasant place for dogs and their humans:

• For criminal behaviour (abusive or threatening language or behavior, public drunkeness, etc.) please immediately call the Shelton Police Departement to report the incident and to request a police cruiser be sent to the park. The police can be reached by dialling 911 or by calling the dispatch desk at 203-924-1544.
• For repeated violations of park policy (allowing dogs to exhibit aggressive behavior, etc.) please provide the name of the individual and a brief summary of the behavior to Ron Herrick at the Parks & Recreation Department so he can address the issue with the individual concerned. Ron can be reached at 203-925-8422.
• For matters involving routine park maintenance (poop patrol needed, safety issues, flower beds needing work, etc.) please contact the Friends of Shelton Dog Park via e-mail at arianowl@yahoo.com or by phone at 203-922-2643.

Thanks to all park users for helping us to make the Shelton Dog Park the best it can be - for all park users!

Celebrating 4 Years in Business with a Biscuit Party!

March 2012 marks four years for Paws & Kisses Pet Sitting Service, LLC.  We have really enjoyed the previous four years, as we have gained clients and added staff members to cope with the volume of furry creatures in our care.

As a thank you to our existing clients and as a way for future clients to get to know us, we will be hosting an Anniversary Party on Saturday, March 31st, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The party will be held at H3 Pet Supply's brand new second store, located at 375 Hawley Lane in Stratford, CT (Big Y Shopping Center). 

We will be giving away bags of healthy biscuits for canine attendees.  There will also be refreshments for all pet parents who join us.  There will be give-aways and door prizes and all kinds of fun stuff!  Paws & Kisses owners and staff will be available to answer your questions about our services.

Raffi the Rescue Dog will also make an appearance at the event.  He is seeking donations of pet care items for local animal shelters and rescue groups.  Items needed include:  pet food and treats, dog collars and leashes, grooming supplies, pet beds and cat litter.  All items donated will be brought to local animal shelters to help the homeless animals in our community.

Pet of the Month - April

April's Pet of the Month is . . . Raffi the Rescue Dog (aka, my husband and business partner Bill).  Raffi is the official mascot of the charitable efforts of our business, which all revolve around animal rescue.  This year, Paws & Kisses will again be the Southern CT coordinator for the national Presents 4 Pets Campaign.  Presents 4 Pets is an annual campaign held to collect pet care items for donation to local animal shelters and rescue groups.  Items needed include:  pet food and treats, dog collars and leashes, pet beds, grooming tools, cat litter, etc.  Over the past 4 years, Paws & Kisses has collected and donated items valued at over $ 20,000.00 to help homeless animals.  The local shelters just love to see us coming, as they know that we always come 'bearing gifts', which they can use to meet the needs of the homeless animals they shelter. 

This year's campaign kicks off at the beginning of May and runs through the last week in October.  Donations are made to shelters as enough accumulates to make a shelter run.  The event culminates and the final donations are made in the first week in November, which is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week.   In preparation for this year's campaign, we are seeking volunteers to help us place and monitor donation boxes at local businesses, schools, civic organizations, condo associations, etc.  If you know of a location that would be willing to host a donation box for the 2012 campaign, please contact us!  The boxes are in place for 6 to 8 weeks only, with volunteers collecting donations each week, so the boxes don't get too full.

If you can help us to help homeless animals in our community, either by donating, hosting a box, collecting and distributing donations, etc., please don't hesitate to give us a call at 203-922-2643 or by email at arianowl@yahoo.com.

If your civic organization would like to host a collection amongst your members, it would be greatly appreciated!  Last year, we had two Boy Scout troops and one Girl Scout troop 'adopt' the campaign.  They worked hard and collected lots of great items!  Both troops are on to other projects this year, so we have plenty of 'vacancies' and are available for 'adopotion'!

Help Raffi the Rescue Dog to help those who care for the needy animals in our community this year.

Pet of the Month - March

Molly - A Memorial

Molly, one of our Paws and Kisses kittie clients, passed away recently. She will be missed by all who knew her.  She was a very sweet cat, always there to greet anyone who visited her. She was affectionate, cuddly and loved her treats!

Molly's mom is heartbroken, as are her feline siblings, Sammy and Sally.

Molly was not an old cat, and was healthy until her last days, so her passing is all the more difficult. She was being treated for an ear infection, which got worse, rather than better. An MRI showed a large brain tumor.  Her health quickly deterioted and she passed before anything further could be done for her.

Molly, may you have peace, joy and catnip in the afterlife.  You are missed.

Pet of the Month - February

In honor of Valentine's Day, we have decided to honor all of the homeless pets living in animal shelters, just waiting for someone to love.  If you have space in your heart for a furry friend, please consider adopting a pet.  Each year, in shelters across the country, over 6 million homeless animals are euthanized.  Most shelter pets find themselves homeless through no fault of their own.  Among the most common reasons a pet finds itself homeless are that their owners have passed away, gotten divorced or lost their home.

I got involved in rescue work over a decade ago, and I have to say that it is heartbreaking to see so many potentially great pets languishing in local shelters.  All four of my dogs are former 'shelter dogs'.  They are all wonderful companions and friends.  I think shelter dogs know just how lucky they are to be given a second chance, and, for that reason, are grateful to their adopter, frequently displaying this by showing extra loyalty and love, as often as they can.  My four are all just lovebugs and like nothing better than to cuddle on the couch with their 'mom' (me).  The greeting I get when I come in the door at the end of the day - you would think they just won the lottery, they are so happy to see me!

Shelter pets are fast learners, usually picking up the household routine quickly.  Since they are anxious to please, a little training goes a long way.  It is a myth that most shelter pets have behavior 'issues' and that shelters will not tell you of this, just so you will adopt the pet.  This myth is commonly mentioned by pet stores and unscrupulous breeders in order to 'sell' you on a new puppy . . . that they would be more than happy to provide . . . for a hefty fee, of course!  Just remember that 99 % of puppies in pet stores come from the misery that is a puppy mill - no matter what they tell you!  Almost all shelters do behavioral testing on dogs in their care to ensure that the dog is a suitable candidate for adoption.  For liablity reasons, dogs with aggression issues will not be adopted out.  Shelters try to match the correct dog with the correct potential adopter, based upon factors such as energy level, size, termperament, etc.

Another common myth is that most shelter dogs are mixed breeds, when, in fact, 30 to 40 % of homeless dogs purebreds.  Many shelters also have young dogs, even puppies, so if you just love the puppy stage, then you can meet your next 'puppy love' at a local animal shelter.

If you are looking for a specific breed, there are rescue groups that specialize in most breeds.  You can register with the breed rescue group of your choice and, once approved, they will work with you to find the perfect canine companion for you.

If you wish to find a 'furever' friend this Valentine's Day, check our your local animal shelter!

A good place to start is the website called Petfinders.com.  Most local shelters list their adoptable pets on this site. 

Most breed and non-profit rescue groups also have links to their own websites through this page.  There are literally thousands of homeless pets listed on this site at any one time.

So, this Valentine's Day, please think about opening your home and your heart to a homeless pet in need.

New Website for Paws & Kisses

We finally took the time over the holidays to redesign and update the Paws & Kisses website.  We think it looks good, even if we do say so ourselves!  New features include a 'Resources' page, which provides information and links to various pet care and pet adoption sites that we have found useful.  Also, there is now a Smilebox slideshow of some of the Paws & Kisses clients and our own PAK spokesdogs.  Check it out and let us know what you think.

The domain name remains the same:  http://www.pawsandkissessitting.com/