Guiding Eyes for the Blind

Erie Region Newsletter

 

Summer 2008

 

 

Dear Dogs and Cats,

The dishes with the paw prints are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate of food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed by NASCAR and is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.

For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob, or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years --canine or feline attendance is not mandatory.

The proper order is kiss me, then go smell the other dog or cat's butt. I cannot stress this enough!

To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:

To All Non-Pet Owners who visit & like to complain about our pets:

1. They live here. You don't.
2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. (That's why they call it "fur"niture.)
3. I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
4. To you, it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

Remember: Dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

1. Eat less
2. Don't ask for money all the time
3. Are easier to train
4. Usually come when called
5. Never drive your car
6. Don't hang out with drug-using friends
7. Don't smoke or drink
8. Don't wear your clothes
9. Don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and
10. If they get pregnant, you can sell their children

 

Local Heroes - Comings & Goings of our Puppies

 

                    Best Wishes to the following dogs and their proud raisers.  Congratulations for a job well done!

§          Ceci said good-bye to her 3rd puppy Angie

§          Dodger gave lots of hugs and kisses to his raisers Jon and Marla. Dodger is their 1st puppy.

§          Howie, Sara’s 5th puppy, said good-bye to her raiser

§          Laura said good-bye to her 3rd puppy, Island

 

                    Welcome to the newest members of our region:

§          Oksana skated into the home of Denise.  She is Denise’s 6th puppy

§          Susan gave lots of hugs to her 3rd puppy, Barry

§          Handsome Landon was welcomed into the home of Dianne.  He is Di’s 5th puppy

 

 

 

Happy 1st Birthday

 

The following puppies and raisers are celebrating!

Elsie, born on 6/7/07, celebrated her birthday with lot of hugs from her raiser Dawn

       Gable celebrated his big day with his raiser Darlene.  He was born on 6/13/07

       Mary Ellen & Barry are celebrating with their puppy Imogene on her 1st birthday.  She was born on 6/15/07

       Nortel is growing up fast!  He’s having a party with his raiser Tonya.  He was born on 7/10/07

 

 

 

Upcoming Events

 

Please stop by to lend your support at Public Relations events. However, unless you and your puppy are scheduled to work at an event, please refrain from bringing your puppy with you.  Check our web site for the list of regularly scheduled classes.  Contact Russ or Mary Ellen with any Public Relations Events or Speaker’s Bureau requests

.

        June - October    Clarence Hill Farmer’s Market - one Saturday a month

        July – October     Hamburg Farmer’s Market - one Saturday a month

         7/16/08     Field Trip - July Class - Sturgeon Point Marina, Derby, 5:30, 6:30 & 7:30 PM classes

         8/18/08     Annual Puppy Party - August Class, 7PM - 9 PM, Mary Ellen & Barry Pratt residence, 1110 Wisconsin Rd, Derby

 

        The following events will be held at the Lake Shore Fire Hall in Hamburg

                   7/28/08     Puppy Follow-ups - 5:30 PM & 6:30 PM

                   7/28/08     Puppy Moving Up Class - 6:30 PM, honoring Scamp, Titan, Babe & “Little” Debbie

                   7/29/08     Puppy Pre-Placement Class - 6:30 - 9:30 PM

                   8/05/08     Puppy Pre-Placement Class - 6:30 - 9:30 PM

                   8/12/08     Puppy Pre-Placement Class - 6:30 - 9:30 PM

                   8/19/08     Puppy Pre-Placement Class - 6:30 - 9:30 PM

 

 

 

 

No Tasting the Mushrooms

 

Mushrooms are our favorite fungus, enjoyed in dishes from burgers to salads.  But not every mushroom is edible; some can poison dogs and make humans very ill.

 

Toxic wild mushrooms grow throughout North America. Although they represent a small percentage of all mushrooms, they can tempt curious dogs when they pop up in the yard seemingly overnight. Different toxic mushrooms affect different organs.  Merely chewing on a poisonous mushroom can make a dog sick with diarrhea and vomiting, kidney or liver failure, brain swelling, breathing difficulties and inability of the blood to clot – and can result in death.  According to the ASPCA, about half of all fatal mushroom poisonings in dogs are attributed to the Amanita species, also called ‘death cap’, prevalent in the Pacific Northwest but also found in dense forest areas in the Northeast.

 

If you suspect that your puppy has eaten a wild mushroom, contact your Region Coordinator and keep a sample of the mushroom for your vet to analyze.  The best prevention is to keep your puppy away from mushrooms.

 

 

 

Not-So-Green Grass

 

In some communities, a perfectly manicured emerald-green lawn is a banner of success.  But for your puppy, the pesticides that are used could cause harm.  In 2004 researchers at Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine found that exposure to herbicide-treated lawns increases the risk of bladder cancer between four and seven times.  In more recent studies, because cancer requires some sort of environmental “insult” in order to manifest, it’s a good idea to reduce your puppy’s risk to potential triggers and carcinogens, even if it means living with a few more dandelions.

 

 

Puppy Pedicures

 

The variety and styles of nail clippers can be confusing.  Four of the most popular styles are listed below with their advantages and disadvantages:

·          Scissors-style trimmers don’t require as much precision and work better for larger breeds.  Look for styles with safety bars so you don’t cut into the kwik, the vein in the dog’s nails.

·          The classic guillotine-style clipper work best for small breed dogs.  Although easy to squeeze, they’re not strong enough for large, thick nails.  They can dull easily and require replacement blades.

·          High-tech clippers feature sensors to help locate the kwik, built-in files for smoothing and ergonomic handles.  They are more costly.

·          For dogs who don’t mind buzzing, a Dremel-style grinder smoothes and shapes while shortening.  Many people prefer grinders because they won’t clip the quick, however they can overheat and cause burns.

 

 

 

“While we teach our puppies all about life… our puppies teach us what life is all about”         Unknown Author

e’ll be beaming in no time.