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Hello and Welcome to The First Edition of Happy Dog Connections – the Magazine

Well here it is. Our First Edition!

First welcome to all of our new members and a big Thank You for your patience. It has been quite a journey to create this first edition and we are a little bit behind schedule. But I know you are going to enjoy it.

Happy Dog Connections Training and Wellness Center is ready and I will be posting more recording very soon. You will get a chance to meet some of our dog experts through interviews, articles and podcast.

I always like to encourage people to take their dogs when they go traveling. Dogs are great travelers and with a little bit of organization you will have a lot of fun together. Sometimes it is not possible to take Fido with you. A professional pet sitting company will make sure he is comfortable, safe and well pampered.

Arthritis is crippling more and more dogs and at a younger age too. According to Temple Grandin (Animal in Translation) dogs do not feel pain the same way we do, but they do feel pain.

I see that with Tara my best K9 friend. A stick on the walk helps her forget about the pain but it is there. One minute she is full of enthusiasm and the next she is limping. Drugs are available to manage the pain but are they safe?

To help our dogs with pain management, allergies, stress and emotional imbalances we now have access to more alternative therapies. Dogs respond very well to natural treatments and energy healing can do wonders.

From the barn to the couch. Dogs have moved into our homes and they are here to stay.If you are thinking of remodeling make sure to keep your pooch in mind.

Still looking for something for the dog lover on your list we have a few suggestions and some awesome deals for you.

Reserve Thursday night for our interactive training workshops. As we are wrapping up this first edition, all speakers are not confirmed yet but we will email the schedule for January and it will be posted on the website as well.

We love to hear from you, so if you have any questions, suggestions or just want to say hello do not hesitate to send us an email an info@happydogconnections.com

Happy Holidays,

We are passionate about dogs and evenmore passionate about keeping dogs

in their homes for their lifetime.

It is our mission to research and compile the mostup-to-date information on training and wellness.We bring the dog experts to your home with ourone-stop-shopping approach, so it is easy for you

to access answers and solutions to all yourcanine questions and concerns.

Dog Foster Parents – The Life Bloodof A Rescue Organization

In this interview Gerry Phillips from German Sheperd Rescue of BC (GSRBC)shares with us what it take to get “the best job in the world”

Catherine: So Gerry how do you go from being a teacher to dog foster parent?

Gerry: Being interested in German Shepherds I came across GSRBC’s website and started following the progress of some of the dogs in their care. I bought a ticket from one of their raffles and got hooked. I volunteered to help out in any way I could … with no knowledge of how rescue worked and very little knowledge of German Shepherds in general. The president of the society encouraged me to try fostering. So when Zeeva, my German shepherd, was 6 month old she was spayed and there was a little pup that had been neutered and his dew claws removed who was in need of a “quiet place to recuperate..”

Being a teacher we had time off in the summer so Spencer came to stay with us for 2 weeks ... It was the longest 2 weeks of our lives .... not a night went by when one of them didn’t poop, pee or throw up. But they had so much fun together; wrestling, rolling, cuddling and untying each others’ cone. Zeeva was a little shy and it helped her become more confident.

Catherine: You said earlier to me that being a foster parent for dogs is the best job in the whole world. Can you elaborate on that?

Gerry: It is like bringing home your new dog, getting to know him and introducing him to everything. My job is to socialize the newbie to as many dogs, people and new situations as possible. We also work on house manners and basic obedience. I love to watch the dog becoming more confident and trusting. He becomes part of our family and learns from everyone in the house.

The hardest part but the best part is when he finds his forever home. Luckily we have an amazing volunteer who has the ability to make fabulous matches, the right dog to the right home.

Catherine: So you have to be willing to open up your heart to a dog that will move on and be committed to it.

Gerry: yes, but it is not as sad as you might think because you know that your foster dog is going to the best possible spot and there is always a another dog waiting in the wings for our help.

Catherine: Do you want to share a few success stories

Gerry: They have been so many. Every time you find that perfect family for the foster dog .. it is a success. But they remain “our” dogs forever as they leave with a piece of our hearts. We know where all our foster dogs. Most of our adopters keep us updated with photos and ‘news’ periodically of the dog’s progress. I have become great friend with a few of my fosters’ new families and as you can imagine they are pretty amazing people.

A few Success Stories

Catherine: How many dogs have you fostered since Spencer?

Gerry : 14. 14 success stories … well 13 successes … Reugger was kind of a failure at fostering as we ended up adopting him. He was such a great match for our Zeeva and now he is a foster brother to the dogs that come to stay.

Catherine: Tell us more about GSRBC.

Gerry: German Shepherd Rescue of BC (GSRBC) helps dogs that have no one else. We are often asked to help specific dogs that will not likely be adopted easily from a shelter or animal control facility due to health issues at the time and the way they presents themselves in a stressful shelter environment.

Catherine: So you get a dog and what happen next?

Gerry: The incoming dog get a thorough health check from our vet and is evaluated with other dogs, children, etc. to see what her needs are. Then she is matched with one of our foster families.

Catherine: Why do you need foster parents?

Gerry: Foster homes are the life blood of a rescue. They are the ones that help build the trust with the dog and work on the specific needs of the individual dog. Each dog is different but they all must learn to live in a new pack.

Catherine: How can you become a foster parent with GSRBC

Gerry: There is an application form on the website that we ask people to fill out and email to us. Because we are a small group we need foster parents to be committed to that foster dog. We hope that they will keep him/her until he/she is adopted which could take up to3 months or more. If fosters cannot commit to this pooch then we have a huge problem because as one dog goes out to a foster home, then a spot is opened up for another and that original one is gone.

Catherine: I know you are very involved with fund raising for German Shepherd Rescue of BC. You need money for food and vet bills. How does it all work?

Gerry: Every cent we raise goes to help the dogs in our care. We do not receive government funding or grants and rely 100% on our fund-raising efforts and donations from the public.

Catherine: If someone is looking for a dog why should they choose to adopt from a breed rescue?

Gerry: Usually breed rescues know that breed inside and out. We can make recommendations regarding health and behaviour situations that are specific to German Shepherds. We spend a great deal of time with our dogs so we know the individual dog well. For that reason we understand the personality, lifestyle and energy needs of the dog and are able to match them with the appropriate family.

Catherine: Gerry Thank You very much.

Non Steroids Anti Inflammatory Drugs

Do they have a place in arthritis treatment? Side effects and Natural Solutions

Christopher Durinwww.dogarthritisblog.info

Christopher Durin is a veterinarian in Sydney, Australia and has been in practice since 1993, with a skill focus and extra qualifications in surgery.Joint problems are a big part of his day and he has cared for a LOT of arthritic dogs and cats over the years.

When it comes to treating our dogs and cats most people are concerned about the side effects of drugs and would like more natural solutions that work. Dr Durin will be releasing a book around mid December to provide just that: A scientific natural solution to help dogs and provide dog owners with a road map to care for their pets.

In this podcast he explains how non steroids anti inflammatory drugs work and why they have a place in the treatment of arthritis. A lot of people are concerned about side effects and rightly so. He also talk to us about prevention and some natural solutions.

Listen to Christopher's podcast

Wellness

Dogs and Arthritis

December 11th 2010

A Walk in Your Dog's Mind

Marcia is a professional member with The Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers (CAPPDT), and The International Positive Dog Training Association (IPDTA).

She is also a member of the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) and a certified Evaluator for their Canine Good Neighbour Certification (CGN/CGNC).

As a Certified Dog Trainer she stays informed by continuing to advance her current knowledge in the field and is familiar with the latest, most effective training techniques and equipment.

As a Certified Professional Dog Trainer she adheres to a strict code of Ethics...

On December 11thth Marcia is going to take you on a Walk in Your Dog's Mind.

In this seminar you will learn:

• How your dog smells your emotions• How your dog really sees you• How you might be sending the wrong message

This will help you understand why your dog does not always respond the way you expect him too and how you can change that.

Free to Members

Recorded Workshop

Upcoming Workshops and Podcast

Training and Behaviours

December 2nd 2010

Talking Back to Your Dog

Marilyn Wolf is the Managing Member of Korrect Kritters, LLC,a Pet Trainer and Behaviour Consultant. Marilyn has lived with pets her whole life. Mostly dogs and cats but also birds, skunks, a groundhog, rabbits, a pig, horses, and others and learned to read their body language long before the term “body language” hit popular culture.

But it is Tommy, that took her on the path of dog trainer and behaviour consultant.Not even a year old, Tommy had separation anxiety, lunge at people and was scared of loud noises.

To help him, Marilyn learned training techniques, behaviour analysis, and environmental management. She learned and used every tool she could find to help him.

Thursday January 27th at 5PM PST – Live Online Training

Talking Back to Your Dog

Duration 60 minutes – 40 minutes and 20 minutes Q&A

In this session Marilyn will show you how to use your dog body language to:

• Affect your dog's behaviours• Solve Problems• Reinforce the Behaviour you want

Free for MembersOnline WebinarLogin details are emailed to you

Upcoming Workshops and Podcast

Training and Behaviours

December 6th 2010 11am PST

Outside the Box" Healthcarewith Pam Holt RVT, CAMT

www.buddhadog.webs.com

Pam Holt is a registered veterinary technician and a certified animal massage therapist that offers Reiki, TTouch, accupressure and education.

Alternative therapies are becoming more and more popular with pet owners and people in general. In this podcast, Pam is going to give us an introduction about the different form of natural therapy available.

Dogs and animals are very responsive to alternative therapies. Very sensitive to healing energy, they are much more open than us. “Their mind does not get in the way as much”.They will naturally rest when sick or injured and allow the body to heal itself. Non invasive, alternative therapies support the healing process of the body and work on the mind as well.

We will talk more about alternative therapies and energy healing in the next issues.

Wellness

Upcoming Workshops and Podcast

Pam Utton

Pam's Watercolor Pet Portraits

Pam Utton is an emerging pet portrait artist. She started painting last fall for a hobby, and a friend asked her if she could paint a dog for a Christmas present. After that first painting, Pam was hooked on painting dogs.

Since she had always loved animals and nature, creating them with paint on canvas came naturally. She would often say she painted with the rhythm of her soul.

She knew that in order to sell more paintings she would have to develop a skill and a following, so she used social media to accomplish this.

Her goal was to become a known artist, who was trusted and had a reputation of helping others. She was able to gather thousands of people on her new Facebook fan so Her internet personality shined and people were encouraging her to become a full time artist.

She frequently gave away prizes and free paintings to get her work seen and have word of mouth work for her. Today she has almost 5,000 people on her Fan page “Pam’s Watercolor Pet Portrait’s” and has sold paintings all over the world.

She has also been published in the new collaborative book “Dog Sayings, Wit and Wisdom” published by Bardford Wheler.

Featured Artist

Pam is a member of Artists Helping Animals and she gives back 10-50% of her art sales to rescues and other charities. She blogs about her social media marketing style and encourages other artists to follow their dreams.

If you would like to see more of her work or get a price quote she can be contacted through her blog at Pam Utton

What Do They Need In Their Home?Lynne M. McCarthy ASID

ww.wwzdogz.com

They did not really move into our home until after the post World War II era. Before that, they slept on the front porch, lived in the back yard, or curled up in the barn by a bail of hay. After 1945, our dogs had moved inside our homes. Our love, intrigue, and fascination with dogs has evolved over 30,000 years.

Together, man and dog have evolved from living in caves and primitive campsites with our hunter gather ancestors, to living in luxury high-rise apartments, condominiums, and private homes. Their living environment has become critical to their health and well being, but how do we create the best living environments for them?

Here are Four Points to Consider.

1 . Primary & Secondary Zones:

Establish primary and secondary areas for your dog or dogs. A primary area designates where the dogs are allowed to be. This zone dictates how the interior spaces are designed, how interior finishes such as tile, carpet, paint and furniture are selected.

Primary areas may include the main entrance, hallway, family room and bedroom. The secondary areas, considered the off limits zone, may include the den, dining room, pantry and bathrooms. The interior surfaces, finishes and furnishings will not need to be as durable or cleanable as in the primary zones.

Wellness

Dog Friendly Homes

2 . Safe Zone:

The safe zone is the designated location in the home where the dog can retreat, feel safe, and have down time away from children and busy family activities.

Often, the safe zone is a crate or dog bed placed in a quiet secluded area of the home. This zone must be where the dog can be left alone. It is important in case the dog is sick, has surgery, or will be delivering pups.

3 . Food & Water Zone

Consistency of the location for food and water is imperative.The best location is often in the kitchen area or by the back door. A hard flooring surface such as tile or wood allows for easy clean up. Often, it helps to place a small area rug or door mat under the dog dishes.

4 . Breed Specific Furniture:

Whether you have a Yorkie or Great Dane, selection of furniture scale and size matters for the dog and person. As small dogs age it can become more difficult for them to jump up on high sofa’s or side chairs.

Some small dogs or breeds with long spines including Dashaunds or Basset Hounds can develop back problems as they age.Big dogs need more height, depth, and structural integrity in sofas and side chairs because of their long legs, high stature and weight. Placement of furniture orientation is important as well especially for big dogs who need extra circulation space when walking around the house.

Always develop a list of priorities for you and your dog before considering a change to your home environment. A well thought out plan can make a tremendous difference for you and your best friend.

Lynn is an award winning interior designer and a dog lover. Her beloved Olivia, a chocolate lab recently passed away and will always be remembered.

Professional Pet Sitters A Safe Service To Care for Your Dog (and Cat) When You Are Away

It is easier and easier to take Fido with you on a trip. More and more hotels, campgrounds, resorts are pet friendly. With a little bit of planning, a road trip with your dog can be fun and let you meet interesting people.

But there are times when Fido has to stay home and you cannot always depend on the help of friends and family when you have to go away.

Professional pet sitters offer a service that allow your dog to stay in his own environment and will take care of your dog as if he was their own.

But who to trust? How to hire a dog sitter with confidence and know that your best friend is going to be taking care off?

Danielle Chonody, Owner and operator of Protecting Max is also playing an important part in the pet sitter industry. Beside running her own company, she trains, coaches and helps other pet sitters get their own business up and running.

Co-founder of the Assocation of Pet Sitting Excellence (APSE),she sets the standard for this industry.

I feel with all those credentials, Danielle is the best person to talk to us about the steps we can take to hire a pet sitter and all the services offered by pet sitters companies.

If you are looking for a service in your area why not heading over the the Association of Pet Sitting Excellence to find someone close to you

If you are looking for a pet sitting service in Dallas/Fort Worth area, you can find Danielle details at Protecting Max

Listen to the interview with Danielle

Wellness

Our Suggestions

Joint Relief Bed – In the winter, arthritis and joints pain can flare up.

This a wonderful bed for a senior dog small, medium or large.This bed relieve the pressure on the joints when your dog lies down.4 different colours.See more details here

Laying on the couch after a hard day of play and fun.

Want to cuddle up with your dog on the couch?You do not need to worries about dog hair or mud with this couch cover. It is great for your car or inside your home.It comes in 4 colours and 2 sizes.See more details here

Rain, Snow, mud? No problem

This cover will protect your car seats from your muddy, dirty or wet dog. It is adjustable so you can use it on different car models.It also acts as a barrier and keeps you and your dog safe.See more here

What is Christmas without Toys

Fetching, squeaking, interactive or chew toys are fun and will help keep your dog healthy and well balanced. A great selection here

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