Pet Talk Newsletter :: June 2007

Tenaker Pet Care Center is proud to now offer you Pet Talk. 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!

Canine Partners of the Rockies at Belmar

Pooches and their owners can play while helping people with disabilities.

Dog Daze at Belmar, an annual fundraiser for Canine Partners of the Rockies, will have fun activities for breeds of all shapes and sizes, while raising money to train and place service dogs for Colorado residents with disabilities. Dog Daze at Belmar will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 23 and June 24, 2007.

Doggies can be pampered with massages, or have their paws painted or read by a psychic. They also can show off their talents in agility runs, a talent show or bobbing for tennis balls. Their owners can purchase dog art or photo portraits as well.

"This event raises money to fund service dog partnerships in Colorado," said Meri McCormick, executive director of CaPR. "For people with a disability, service dogs are more than helpful, loving companions. They become partners in life and can assist with tasks such as switching on a light, retrieving a dropped item or even pulling a wheelchair. Service dogs fulfill these important tasks with "dogged" determination and unconditional love."

The event also will feature an agility team exhibition as well as the talents of other specially trained dogs such as canine flyball teams, disc dogs, search-and-rescue dogs, herding dogs and bomb-sniffing dogs.

The event is free and open to the public. Dog Daze at Belmar is being held at Belmar Square, a 2.1-acre park located at the intersection of South Teller Street and West Virginia Avenue in Lakewood. For more information, call 303-399-4575 or visit www.caninepartnersoftherockies.org.

Canine Partners of the Rockies, CaPR, trains and places service dogs for "mobility limited" Colorado residents to facilitate greater independence with the activities of daily living.

Belmar is a 104-acre, mixed-use development located at Wadsworth Boulevard and West Alameda Avenue in Lakewood, and serves as the downtown for the City of Lakewood. Belmar includes shops, restaurants, entertainment, cultural activities, offices, homes and plenty of free parking. For more information visit www.belmarcolorado.com.

Separation Anxiety

Is your dog in a panic when you leave or come home?

Most of us cannot resist a big celebratory hello with our dogs when we come home. The urge to carry on with exaggerated body language, and an emotionally heightened tone of voice can lead to problems for your dog. Dogs are very social animals and can feel very connected to their owners. When the owner is away for a period of time, the dog may act out, injure themselves, or fall into depression.

Separation anxiety usually happens after a dog's routine has been interrupted. Loss of a companion, either dog, cat, or human can trigger this anxiety. A change in environment, especially being relocated to a new home or new owners can cause this reaction.

Dogs find deep attachments to their families, homes, and routines, just like people do. Separation anxiety can also happen when a dog has experienced a long period of being with their family, enjoying lots of quality time, such as a family vacation. Returning to the regular routine may leave them feeling stressed.

Separation anxiety can be described as a noted change in the dog's behavior when you are starting your ritual to leave the house. It can also be characterized by a frantic demeanor when you return. A dog suffering from separation anxiety may follow you around the house and want to be by your side constantly. Dogs have been known to lick their paws until they create a raw "hot spot" to garner attention from their owners. They may vocalize or shake when you begin to leave the house. Destructive behaviors include soiling in the house, chewing, digging, howling, fence jumping, and scratching at doors and windows. It is very important to know that these behaviors are not a form of vengeance from the dog for being left alone. These reactions occur because the dog is panic-stricken.

This behavior can be changed. The steps to recovery may seem long and involved, but doing nothing or continuing the behavior that led to your pets condition will not remedy the situation.

Read more about Separation Anxiety.

Swimmers are good in snow!

Webbed feet serves for winter sports too

When we think of web footed dogs, we usually imagine a grinning Golden or Chesapeake Bay Retriever paddling toward us with a stick in her mouth. Maybe it's a Portuguese Water Dog or Newfoundland we envision instead. We might even picture them retrieving a bested duck for its owner from a fresh water lake. Regardless of the image we conjure, dogs with web feet always make us think of a swimming canine.

It is more likely that a dog's webbed feet were for snowshoeing. When the deep snow fell, these carnivores didn't have a nest full of sun flowers seeds and acorns to keep them from starving. They didn't fatten themselves up and sleep for three months either. They continued to hunt. Their webbed feet were the tools that enabled them to stand, run, and maneuver in deep snow. Dog breeds from colder regions even have large tufts of fur between their pads to keep their feet warm.

Dogs were originally put to work by humans. Although some dogs served as companions, many breeds were adapted to haul, herd, patrol, pull, and retrieve. Webbed feet, designed for hunting in winter, were quickly adapted for retrieving water fowl.

Being a strong swimmer might be the original reason why some of these breeds were so popular one hundred years ago. Today, their aquatic skill is a great way for them to get exercise. Large breeds, small breeds, there are many dogs with this design to their paw. If you fancy a game of fetch with them near water, they might just cool you off with a wild shake of their coat.

Bubonic Plague posses a small but serious threat

Bubonic Plague has been a reality in western states for many years. Occasionally, the news will mention a colony of prairie dogs infested with the type of fleas that carry the Plague. It has always been a concern for ranchers and farmers, but most urban dwellers never needed to be concerned about this devastating illness.

Recently this disease has shown up in City Park, a park just east of the Capital, and at the Denver Zoo. It has been reported that one rabbit, fifteen squirrels, a capuchin monkey, and one domestic cat have succumbed to the Black Death in or around these areas of metropolitan Denver.

Small mammals have not been the only victims of this ancient disease.

Fifty-eight humans have contracted Bubonic Plague since 1957. Nine of those people did not recover. Since that time there have been hundreds of reported cases of prairie dogs dying from The Plague, usually in the summer months.

The Plague is transmitted by flees that carry the disease. It can also be transmitted by an infected animal or person coughing or by being scratched or bitten by an infected animal. In the case of the capuchin money, health officials suspect that she ate an infected squirrel.

Bubonic Plague incubates for two to six days before showing signs of infection. Symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, headache, muscle pain, and eventually swelling in the lymph notes. Advanced symptoms include blackened and swollen lymph nodes and most victims suffer from a respiratory infection which causes them to cough, further spreading the disease.

Prairie dogs and squirrels are the most prevalent carriers of these flees. In developed areas, it is suggested that people refrain from feeding squirrels. Inspect your yard before allowing your pets outside for any sick or deceased animals, especially squirrels. Keep your pets in doors if prairie dogs or squirrel populations are a problem in your area. Remember, if you are in the habit of relocating squirrels, do so only in the spring, because they give birth in the fall. A hungry kitten (baby squirrel), without a mother, is more likely to be caught by your pet. Read more about the Bubonic Plague.

Want to go for a ride in the car?

Travel With Your Cats

You don't have to own a dog to know that dogs love to go for car rides. Just driving around town and you are bound to see a dog or two, leaning out of a car window, with a look of ecstasy on his face.

Cats, on the other hand, don't make the best travel companions. In fact, traveling with a cat can be downright frustrating. Fortunately, you can acclimate a cat to automobile travel if necessary. Just like anything you introduce to your pet, short exercises building in duration is the key.

Well before the scheduled trip, get Tabby used to her carrier. Place the carrier in a favored spot containing some of her favorite treats. Eventually practice locking Tabby into the carrier for short periods of time, increasing the duration each time if she is comfortable.

Make sure the carrier has plenty of room. She must be able to stand in the carrier and turn around comfortably. Consider space for a bed, food and water bowls, and a small litter box too. For automobile travel, two carriers might be in order, one for lounging and one for the litter box.

After Tabby has become comfortable with the carrier, begin exercises involving the car. Take her to the car in the carrier and place her in the car. On another occasion, take her to the car and start the engine and then turn it off. Then progress to starting the car and leaving it run for a minute or two. Eventually, if your cat is comfortable, take the car for a ride around the block. Each time you take the cat out in the car give them a treat afterwards, like a little bit of canned food. Your cat will probably never be as excited to ride in the car as your dog, but acclimating her to being in the car can help immensely.

Read more about Travel & Cats.

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. Please Email Tenaker with your inquiry.

Employee of the Month

Connie is a kennel technician at our Aurora facility. She is married to John Schutt, who is Vice President of Tenaker Pet Care Center. Connie started working at Tenaker as a volunteer 10 years ago. After earning her Bachelors of Science in Home EC Education at North Dakota State University, Connie taught junior high and high school for five years, until she retired to raise her first husband's children.

She re-entered the workforce in 1996 at Jeffco Schools when her first husband passed away. In 1997 she met John Schutt, who asked her if she was interested in volunteering at Tenaker. Romanced bloomed between John and Connie and soon they were married. She has been working at Tenaker ever since.

Connie really enjoys working with the staff at Tenaker and being around all the dogs. She says that every day at Tenaker is different and is often an adventure. She is also ABKA 2nd level certified. Connie has a son who is 21 years old and a 23 year old step daughter.

Pet of the Month

Piper (left) and Cobey (right) frequently visit our Aurora kennel for doggie daycare. Cobey has been coming to Tenaker since 2004 and Piper has been coming since 2005. These two Golden Retrievers are quite the team. When they come to daycare, they fight to be the first to the door to be able to go outside and play. When they are outside they like to swim in the pool and eat toys if they get the opportunity. Piper is the little sister and she really likes to pick on her older brother. Piper likes to play a little game where she is a Lion and Cobey is the prey. If Cobey is playing on the other side of the play yard, Piper will crouch down and slowing and quietly walk towards Cobey. If he sees her, she stops in her tracks. As soon as he turns back around she starts again. Then when she gets close enough she launches herself at him. Fortunately, Cobey has learned to tolerate this behavior! Doggie daycare is always a good time when these two are around.

Pet Food Recall Updates

April 18th, 2007

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued a press release to the public April 16th that Natural Balance Pet Foods' Venison & Brown Rice Dry Dog Food and Venison & Green Pea Dry Cat Foods has been added to the list of recalled foods due to consumer complaints of animals vomiting and experiencing kidney problems. The company is advising consumers to discontinue feeding this food immediately.

For more information about this press release and all the latest information on the recall go to www.fda.gov There is now a single list of all recalled pet food located on this web page that will continue to be updated.

Tenaker Pet Talk Newsletter Home | Doggie Day Care Pricing
Obedience Training | Aurora Animal Hospital | Site Search