Welcome to the Pet Talk newsletter from Tenaker Pet Care
Volume 2 :: Issue 3 :: March 2007
Pet Talk
Tenaker Pet Care Pet Talk is a monthly
digital newsletter that is full of entertaining, interesting,
and valuable information from the staff of Tenaker Pet Care Center.
One of our many sections is titled "Pet of the Month,"
where you may even find a picture and biography of your own pet!
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Denver Disc Dogs at Pet Expo
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An unbeatable, one-stop venue for pet products and services.
Tower Show Productions is pleased to be producing the
Colorado Family Pet Expo at Colorado Convention Center,
rain or shine, March 10-11, 2007, in Denver, Colorado.
The Colorado Family Pet Expo is set to deliver top-quality demonstrations,
presentations and the latest products and services for pet owners and pet enthusiasts.
More than 100 exhibits of pet related products and services.
March 10-11, 2007
Saturday - 9am to 7pm
Sunday - 9am to 5pm
Colorado Convention Center
Fun for the whole family, but please leave your own pet at home.
Only attendees who are pre-registered for a contest are allowed to bring their pet.
Adults: $8 -- Children (ages 3-12): $5
Bring a can of pet food to the show and receive $1 off the regular adult admission.
Food donations benefit the Metro Denver Shelter Alliance.
One per adult, offers cannot be combined.
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Service dog gets a new perspective
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Jodie Rose learns to navigate from the right side.
Terry Dunigan has been a client at our Aurora veterinary hospital for three years now.
Terry is blind and hearing impaired so she relies on her guide dog for assistance.
Jodie Rose is a very special 9 year old yellow lab.
She is trained to heel and work on Terry's left side and has been doing so for 7 1/2 years.
As it turns out Terry will be needing surgery on her left wrist due to carpal tunnel.
Therefore, Jodie Rose must learn how to work on her right side until Terry's wrist heals.
Thanks to the kindness and generosity of one of our dog trainers, Tom Shelley,
this training is possible for Terry and Jodie Rose.
With about a month left of training, they are making the transition rather easy.
Terry is very in tune with her dog and has been very helpful in getting
Tom to understand Jodie Rose.
Tom has appreciated being apart of their very special relationship and
Terry is very thankful for Tom's generosity.
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Guide dogs have a rewarding career
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Good canine citizens are the basis for guide dogs.
They sit quietly and patiently under the table in the restaurant while conversation and dining go on above them. They glide along in the department store or mall, unaffected by all the sights, sounds, and scents. If you were to approach a service dog to pet them or bestow some other form of affection, you might be warned that they are 'working' and that they should not be touched.
Man's best friend turns out to be a hero for many visually impaired, deaf, and disabled persons who desire a more mobile, fulfilled life. Seeing eye dogs, service dogs, and other trained canines put in many hours of training to earn the responsibility of assisting their human friends. These good natured creatures don't seem to mind. In fact, training is so rigorous that dogs who do not excel and enjoy the training are quickly retired from the program. Only the smartest, well behaved, and eager make it through the meticulous preparation.
Several different breeds are used for this work such as yellow, black, and chocolate Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers. Other breeds have been known to work well as guide dogs such as Boxers, Border Collies, Huskies, Doberman Pinchers, Australian Shepherds, Dalmatians, and even Standard Poodles.
Most of these dogs are slated for training when they are a puppy. They are placed in a family where they are taught basic obedience until they are ready to attend an accredited school, around eighteen months of age. Some trainers take their puppies along with them to dog shows in order to acclimate them to being around other dogs and lots of commotion. They are trained to be calm and well mannered no matter where they are or what the situation is. Puppies are usually placed in homes with children. Many 4H groups work with these young dogs as well. It has been proven that puppies who have been trained by children are more successful in the guide dog program.
One non-profit,
NEADS uses minimum security inmates to train the dogs in basic obedience and dog service tasks, before they attend their formal guide dog training. This program is a great rehabilitation tool for the incarcerated. The dogs get to go home each weekend, to experience a household setting. Once the dog graduates from this phase of the training, the dog moves on to its formal service dog training. After this training is completed, NEADS dogs are then placed with a deaf or disabled person. This partnership is called a team. The team goes on for more one on one training to insure the dog and human partner are a good fit. This weekend, NEADS is holding its Spring Commencement Ceremony to celebrate the latest team graduation class.
Read more . . . .
Tenaker Pet Care is not affiliated with NEADS or Guide Dogs for the Blind.
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Dog Breeds
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Labrador Retrievers
The Labrador Retriever is one of the most popular breeds in the United States.
Originally from Newfoundland, Canada the Labrador was trained to jump overboard into
the icy waters to haul fisherman's nets to shore. Specimens were brought to
England in the 1800's by English ships coming from Labrador, where the dog's
fine retrieving instincts were honed and developed. One of the best family dogs
and canine companions because of their gentle, loving disposition, the highly
trainable Labrador also excels in drug detection, as a guide for the blind,
and service dog for the disabled. The breed is also an outstanding obedience
and field trial competitor.
The Labrador Retriever is an affectionate, lovable,
highly intelligent, loyal, and patient dog. Lively and good-natured,
they love to play, especially in water--for they are good swimmers
because of their webbed feet. They have a reliable, friendly temperament.
They are superb with children and equable with other dogs.
They crave human attention and need to feel as though they are part of the family.
Labradors bred from English lines (English Labradors) are more calm than
ones bred from American lines.
English Labradors mature quicker than the American breeds.
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Cat Behavior
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Why Do Cats Hate Getting Wet?
Few things are as amusing as a wet cat.
She wears an expression of great disgust as she shakes the wetness from her fur.
Then she settles down for a nice long tongue bath to
get her coat back in the proper condition,
all the while sending indignant glares at the one who dared to bring her to such a pass.
Cats don't have the same protection from water that dogs have.
Wet cats take longer to dry because they lack the oily coat and guard hairs that
prevent dogs from getting soaked to the skin.
But does this mean that all cats hate water?
Not at all. Many cats enjoy water and are known to fish and swim for enjoyment.
Throughout literature, many tales are told of cats who like to fish.
(Indeed, the cat has its own built--in fishing pole-its tail.)
Egyptian hieroglyphics depict cats hunting in marshes with their owners.
Cats have been seen hooking trout and other fish out of streams with their paws.
Cats have even been observed teaching other cats to fish.
So now we know.
Cats don't necessarily mind getting wet,
but it has to be on their own terms and for their own benefit.
Needless to say, a bath does not fall into either of those categories for the average cat.
After all, bathing is what a cat does best-with her own tongue, not with water and shampoo.
Article and side bar from Why Do Cats Do That? by Kim Thornton (BowTie Press) $6.95.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher.
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Q & A
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Tiffany from Aurora
How often should I groom my Bichon Frise?
Our groomer, Marcie, recommends having your dog groomed every 4 to 6 weeks.
Short hair dogs can get away with 8 weeks, but is not recommended.
Frequent grooming is important for healthy skin and coat and helps reduce shedding.
ALL DOGS SHED!
Dogs with an undercoat shed,
but they do not release their coats,
so matting occurs.
Dogs that are matted are actually colder because their coats are not working like theyre supposed to.
During rain and snowy seasons dogs will stay wet longer if heavily matted.
Frequent grooming can also help with the health of the animal since groomers
generally notice lumps and bumps before owners do.
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New Web Sites
Coupon for new customers
Free Dog Services
New customers enjoy a free medical and dental exam,
one free Doggie Day Care Day, (with the purchase of four days of day care),
or one free hour of play in our play yard with heated pool, (by appointment only).
Good at our Aurora location only.
For a PDF copy of this coupon follow this link
www.moneymailer.com.
Coupons valid for new customers only and expire on April 15, 2007.
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Send us your pet care questions and
we'll post your query and our response in our
new Q & A section.
Be it dog or cat issues,
behavorial or medical,
nutritional or grooming,
we'll put our heads together to answer your questions.
Email Tenaker with your inquiry.
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Employee of the Month
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Courtney is a Veterinarian Technican at our Aurora facility.
She recently moved here from Texas in 2003 with her husband.
Before moving to Colorado, she retired from South Western Bell Corporation
where she worked for 35 years.
Since she was interested in working with animals,
she decided to go to school at Bel-Rae Institute and graduated in September of 2006.
Courtney decided to work for Tenaker because Dr. Brooks remaindered her of her pet's
Veterinarian in Texas.
She enjoys being able to be apart of the family atmosphere at Tenaker and
that she is able to get to know the clients really well.
Courtney has a Golden Retriever named Katie and two cats named Rex and Reba.
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Pet of the Month
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Leland is a high energy yellow labrador retriever.
He comes to daycare at our Aurora facility five days a week.
Lelands parents say that when they are about half a mile from the facility,
he starts getting excited because he knows he is going to daycare.
He loves playing with all the daycare dogs and running after balls
into our heated swimming pool.
By the time his parents pick him up he is exhausted.
He is also a bit of a star since his picture has recently
been in our Money Mailer advertising.
Fame hasn't gone to his head,
he still is willing to let you pet him and play catch with you.
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Cat Bath
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If your cat needs a bath, gather your cat shampoo, towels, and cotton balls,
and prepare the water first.
The water should be warm, not hot.
Put a rubber mat in the bottom of the sink or tub to prevent slipping.
Now get the cat.
Put cotton balls in the cat's ears to prevent water from running inside them,
and place the cat in the water, holding her gently yet firmly.
Wet her from the head down,
being careful to keep water out of her eyes.
Do not dunk the cat in water.
Shampoo the cat (never use shampoo made for people or dogs).
Next, rinse the cat thoroughly and towel dry her until she is damp.
Keep the cat in a warm, draft-free area until she is completely dry.
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Newsletter Archive:
February 2007-
National Dental Care Month, Clementine pet of the month, employee of the month Melissa,
why do cat spray, puppy training, Handsome Dan--the Bull Dog mascot at Yale.
January 2007-
Bombay cats, Koda pet of the month, employee of the month Robert,
brush your pets teeth, puppy kindergarden, is your pet overweight?
December 2006-
Holiday hazards, Golden Retrievers,
Why Do Cats Like Crinkly Sounds?,
2006 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship,
Peanut butter cookies and more.
November 2006-
Hallween costume contest winners, Why do cats purr,
Xylitol--good for you, bad for your pets, Chow Chow, agility training and more.
Tenaker Kennels has new extended hours!
Tenaker has extended our Monday through Saturday operation hours.
As always, Tenaker is looking at our customer's best interests (people and pets).
Thank you for choosing Tenaker!
New extended hours:
Monday-Friday: 7am-7pm
Saturday: 7am-4pm
Sunday: 5pm-6pm
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Tenaker Aurora Doggie Daycare Website
