Guiding Eyes for
the Blind
Erie Region Newsletter
Winter 2007
Be sure to give an extra hug to your canine
Valentine!
Play Time
Puppies
love activity, especially when it complements their natural ability. Pay
attention to their instincts and find something that your puppy loves to do.
Playing in creative and stimulating ways helps you bond with your puppy. Some enjoy a brain-teaser toy (IQube or
Twist & Treat) while others love high-energy activities such as a brisk
walk, canine sport (Agility) or retrieving a ball. Some puppies enjoy being challenged beyond fetch but, for others,
nothing beats the simplest toy, like a tennis ball. Whatever your puppy’s
passion is, get up and find it. Dogs need to have fun, just like people. Your
dog will be happiest when he’s doing something that comes naturally…and doing
it with you.
Local Heroes - Comings & Goings of
our Puppies
Best Wishes to the following dogs and their
proud raisers. Congratulations for a
job well done!
§
Tonya
gave lots of hugs to her 1st puppy Zed.
§
Richard
said farewell to his 4th puppy Hansel.
Welcome to the newest members of our region:
§
Maxwell was welcomed into the home of Barry
& Mary Ellen. He is their 19th puppy.
§
Murray, Denise’s 5th puppy, was welcomed
with lots of hugs and kisses.
§
Nathan
has found a happy home with Adam & Susan. He is their 1st puppy.
§
Nancy’s
1st puppy, Nugent, was welcomed with big hugs.
§
Windy
found a happy home
with Penny. She is Penny’s 8th
puppy.
§
Renae
welcomed Chico into her heart and
home. She is her 1st puppy.
§
Dodger was welcomed into the home of Jon
Wright & Marla. He is their 1st puppy.
§
Howie
was happy to join
Sara after his long ride from GEB. He is Sara’s 5th puppy.
What’s Behind
Her Smile?
Your puppy deserves a smile as sunny as her
disposition! To ensure her grin is a
healthy one, take note: her appetite should be hearty, gums firm and pink,
teeth pearly and her breath normal.
Chomping on hard chew toys, such as durable Nylabone products, and Kong
rubber toys will help maintain a healthy smile, but her teeth need regular
brushings for all 42 to stay clean and strong.
Begin brushing at a young age, no later than 5 months when her adult
teeth come in. Gradually acquaint her with the process by gently massaging her
teeth and gums with a finger coated with - yum! - poultry flavored dog
toothpaste. Next rub her teeth with the toothpaste using a piece of gauze so
she adjusts to the texture. Then,
gradually transition to using a soft finger tooth brush for a gentle scrub,
before graduating to a soft-bristled toothbrush. Practice frequent, short sessions and always reward her for her
patience.
February is National Pet Dental Health Month. Periodontal disease affects nearly 80
percent of all dogs over the age of 3, according to the American Veterinary Dental
Society. To prevent your puppy from
becoming one of these statistics, brush her teeth regularly. The gold standard of home care is daily
brushing. This is ideal but somewhat
unrealistic. If you brush her teeth
three times a week, plaque will be reduced by 75 percent. Taking care of your puppy’s teeth now can
prevent some expensive and painful problems down the road. Poor dental health can result in tooth loss,
chewing difficulties and can deteriorate your dog’s general health.
Happy 1st Birthday
The
following puppies and raisers are celebrating!
·
Brother and Sister, Hans & Hildy, were
born on 11/16/05. Hans celebrated his birthday with many hugs from Diane &
Rick while Hildy was honored at a birthday party with Laura and her family.
·
Brother and Sister duo, Wade & Winona,
arrived in the world on 12/27/05.
Raisers Audrey & Russ sang Happy Birthday to Wade while sweet Winona
celebrated with her raiser Carol.
·
Alec, being
raised in the loving home of Kathy & Ron, was born on 1/5/06. Alec asked for a new clutch ball and his
raisers came through!
·
Mr. Handsome, Iggie, celebrated his big day
with raisers Jody & Merlin. He was
born on 2/4/06. His playmates, Umpire
& Daisy, celebrated with a surprise birthday party and a new hickory bone.
Web
Wise
Calculating a dog’s age by multiplying by seven is
old news. Take the Dog Age test and
find out how old your dog really is.
The test is designed to measure your dog’s biological age, based on
health, type of breed and behavior.
Then when you’re feeling good about how healthy you’ve kept your best
friend, you can check out your own real age by answering a similar quiz about
yourself. Visit www.dogage.com (for pooch) and www.realage.com (for you).
Chew on This
Initially, puppies chew because they’re teething and
chewing feels good to sore gums. It only becomes a problem when this activity
is not directed into appropriate outlets such as safe chew toys. If you don’t supply suitable toys, your
puppy will find other options including shoes, rugs and furniture. Boredom also causes inappropriate chewing. The old saying “A tired puppy is a good
puppy” is not far from the truth.
Mimicking hunting behaviors, puppies will happily
stalk, pounce on and shake a soft squeaky toy.
Some puppies take this natural behavior one step further by ripping them
to shreds and ingesting the threads, stuffing and squeakers causing dietary
indiscretion, often resulting in surgery and even death.
Your puppy should have medium or large size chew
toys designed for an average or hard chewer. A toy becomes unsafe if pieces are
broken off, edges are sharp or the toy is chewed down to a size that can be
swallowed. Keep your puppy safe by
reserving playtime toys, such as Tug & Toss balls, for strictly supervised
play sessions. This type of ball is great for teaching your puppy how to
retrieve. Retrieving is one of the best
ways for a blind graduate to play with his guide dog, providing exercise for a
long, healthy life. If your puppy has a
favorite toy, allow access to this toy only as a training reward. Such great incentives may give your puppy
the encouragement needed to get through a difficult lesson. If you purchase a
new toy that your puppy ignores, his actions may seem ungrateful, but consider
that he may not know how to play with it. Take this opportunity to teach him a
game with his new toy. He’ll enjoy the
time together with his best friend…you!
Puppy-proofing your home, purchasing appropriate
toys and providing close supervision remain the key factors in providing a safe
environment for your puppy.
Winter Watchdog
Winter
is the perfect time of year for observing your dog’s habits so you can design a
backyard environment that accommodates her activities. Dogs tend to choose set
patterns for travel in a fenced-in backyard that changes little throughout the
year. Wear patterns are visible in the winter environment as leaves, frosts and
snowfall make excellent backdrops for observing four-legged paw traffic. On a rough sketch of your outdoor
environment, outline these traffic patterns with lines. This information will be invaluable in the
spring as you start digging and planting.
Placing a flower bed in the dog’s traffic pattern is a recipe for
conflict. Dogs accustomed to running down their normal path will continue to do
so, even after you painstakingly planted expensive hostas in their path. To
prevent destruction and frustration, let your best friend design your garden
footpaths. Convert the dead grass areas left by repeated wear and tear to
gravel, brick or flagstone pathways. You’ll be more likely to prevent damage to
your landscape and you’ll provide a great under footing for your dog to walk on.
Upcoming Events
Please stop by to lend your support at these events!
However, unless you and your puppy are
scheduled to work at an event, please refrain from
bringing your puppy with you.
February 11- Clarence Lions Pancake
Breakfast - Audrey & Russ and Wade
March 1 - Little Valley Lions
- Denise and Murray
April 2 - Faith United Church -
Audrey & Russ and Wade
April 25 - International Guide
Dog Recognition Day - Watch for local Mall participation
Please
contact Russ or Mary Ellen with any Public Relations Events or Speaker’s Bureau
requests.
The Greatest Dog
Show on Earth
The
Westminister Dog Show is a celebration of dogs in America. Its popularity has grown since it’s
inception in 1877 due to its competitive aspect, variety of dogs and the “alma
mater factor”. Groups and Best in Show
will be televised on the USA Network at 8 PM on February 12 & 13. As you watch all the fanfare and think “My
dog can do that!” remember that your best in show is sitting at your feet.
Working Dogs
Compete for AKC Titles
A
new titling competition launched by the American Kennel Club (AKC) will test
dogs’ abilities in scent and protection work.
Four breeds are allowed to compete in this Working Dog Sport (WDS): German
Sheperds, Bouviers, Dobermans and Rottweilers.
The competition has three levels and each consists of exercises in
tracking, obedience and protection. The
judges award points based on both a dog’s natural and trained abilities. Not only does the competition test a dog’s
suitability for serving mankind in jobs such as narcotics detection and
homeland defence, it also offers a tool for breeders who wish to maintain those
characteristics in their lines.
Puppy Jeopardy
Want to win
a Bonus Bone? Below is the Puppy
Jeopardy answer in the Health Care category.
The first class participant to provide the correct question at the next
class wrap-up earns a Bonus Bone. Good
Luck!
The common name for parainfluenza, a highly
contagious viral disease that spreads mainly via airborne particles.