Pet Talk

Email us a digital picture of your pet all decked out in their Halloween costume. The winners of the contest will be announced on November 1, 2006. The winners will receive a gift certificate in the amount of $50.00 which can be redeemed at either one of our kennels or hospitals. Your pet's image will be on display at Tenaker and may be featured in our November Newsletter. We will choose one winner at our Aurora location and one winner at our Aurora location. Hardcopy photos are also elligiable and should be mailed or brought into Tenaker before the deadline. Digital photos can be emailed to Tenaker. This must be a picture of a pet that you currently own. Pictures must be received by October 31, 2006. Hardcopy pictures cannot be returned. The gift certificates will be mailed to the winners, so there is no need to be present to accept the prize. Please include your name and address with photo submissions.

Why Do Cats Scratch the Furniture?
Does your pet have cat scratch fever? No, not the disease; the desire to claw only the finest furniture, wallpaper, and draperies. Well, you are not alone. Scratching is an innate feline behavior, and it is something that all cat owners must learn to deal with.
     Cats scratch for several reasons. First, scratching keeps their claws in shape. You schedule a weekly manicure; your cat schedules a scratching session with the sofa. Not only does scratching sharpen the claws and remove the old outer husk of the nail, it just feels good. Think how great it feels when the manicurist massages your hands and arms. Your cat probably gets a similar pleasurable feeling from scratching.
     Scratching also serves as a territorial marker. Cats may scratch in preferred sleeping spots or any other place where they spend a lot of time. Doorways and windowsills often get scratched, especially when an indoor cat spots an intruder outdoors. He scratches in a vain attempt to let the other cat know that this is his territory. Scent is another aspect of territorial scratching. The sebaceous glands in cat's paws leave an odor at the scratched area-another way the cat can stake his claim. Read more . . . .

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers --It was a little over two hundred years ago that an English ship wrecked off the coast of Maryland. George Law, captain of the Canton, boarded the sinking ship and saved two Newfoundland puppies. He named the male pup Sailor and the female Canton. The pups were from different families and were meant to be partnered to start a new line of Newfoundlands in the United States. Despite their plans, their new owner was required to return to sea and was forced to split the pair. Although detailed records of Sailor and Canton are limited to their arrival in the United States, records of their offspring are plentiful. Lineage of Sailor and Canton were bred with Labrador Retrievers and became highly prized for their acute hunting skills, ability to swim, dive, and retrieve ducks in cold water. Their offspring went on to win competitions and gain a reputation as one of the finest duck hunting dogs in the Chesapeake Bay area.
     Sailor and Canton were later immortalized by the cast iron manufacturer Hayward, Bartlett & Co. Their forms were used as models for cast iron mascots, popular lawn ornaments in the late nineteenth century. Today, cast iron replicas of Sailor and Canton are highly prized.

October is Pet Wellness Month
How often does you pet need a Wellness Exam?
For millions of health-conscious Americans, the annual checkup has become a routine practice. Like people, dogs and cats can benefit from routine wellness exams too. But with one important difference - pets age faster than people.
     On average, most dogs and cats reach adulthood by age two, says Dr. Marty Becker, a veterinarian and consumer spokesperson for National Pet Wellness Month, an educational initiative sponsored by the American Veterinary Medical Association and Fort Dodge Animal Health. By age four, many pets are entering middle age. And by age seven, most dogs, particularly larger breeds, are entering their senior years.
     Because dogs and cats age seven times faster, on average, than people, significant health changes can occur in a short amount of time. And, the risks of cancer, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, heart disease, metabolic problems and other serious conditions all increase with age.
Read more . . . .

Board your dog with us for ten consecutive days or more and receive one day free. Coupon is valid at the Aurora or Aurora Center and expires October 31, 2006. Tenaker reserves the right to refuse any coupon that appears altered or is expired. This coupon has no cash value. One coupon per dog, per consecutive ten days of boarding. Click here to print out this coupon.

October Pet of the Month
Gunner

Gunner is a frequent visitor to the daycare at Aurora. This Labrador-Chesapeake Bay mix is known throughout our kennel as 'the diver.' He loves swimming in our heated pool year round. You can often find him underwater searching the bottom of the pool for toys. He enjoys any toy that you can throw, especially tennis balls. This is no surprise considering his breed's history.

       ABKA Accredited Boarding Kennel