Texas Dogs & Cats Matazine

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Houston

June 2012

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{contents}

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6 PAWS Houston 10 Summer Photo Fun 12 Puppy 101 Crate Training

14 Meet The Vet Flea Control

16 CenterStage

Swimmin’ With Save Our Strays

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cover photo: Danny Clark

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publisheR

Shannan Parker Tel: 281.781.4727 info@texascatsanddogs.com

editor

Tiffany Robinson tiffanyrobinson99@gmail.com

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jeff Parker Tel: 281.781.4727

DESIGNER

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Fran Sherman 314.275.2208 fran@shermanstudios.com

Contributing Writers Tricia Fagan Nadine Joli-Coeur Monica Schmidt Danny Clark Shannan Parker Donna Dishman Amy Kelly Dougie Deogie

photographer Danny Clark

How Maddox Got His Beach Body Back

21 Beach Tips 22 Hurricane Preparedness 24 Dougie Deogi, Rescue Reporter 26 Spotted by the Pupperazzi 28 Marketplace

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281.781.4727 • Houston@TexasDogsAndCats.com Next Issue: July 2012 Advertiser’s Deadline: June 15th 2012

{June 2012}

5

Houston

By Donna Dishman

{petsafety}

PAWS

Pets Are Wonderful Support PAWS

Houston was founded ten years ago based on the knowledge that, in many instances, individuals suffering from a terminal illness experience significant financial burdens. These burdens often compromise their ability to care for their pets and force them to make undesirable choices regarding these important “family members.” PAWS Houston recognizes the tremendous bond between humans and their companion animals and seeks to assist individuals-in-need in the preservation of that bond during a critical period in their lives.

In the last decade, the medical community has come to recognize the tremendous impact that companion pets have on our lives, especially during a time of illness and convalescence. The pet’s impact in contributing to the improved outlook of a terminally ill patient is undeniable.

Pets have physical, emotional, social and cognitive impact on people. They encourage increased exercise and provide sensory stimulation and comfort. They are often

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key in decreasing the blood pressure of their human companions and offer a diversion from pain. Pet ownership is also associated with better perceived control of illness and treatment.

PAWS Houston partnered with Methodist Hospital over 9 years ago to provide patients “a different kind of medicine” by creating the “Hospital Personal Pet Visitation Program.” PAWS Houston now has a partnership to provide the “Hospital Personal Pet

Visitation Program” to “ALL” major hospitals in the Houston Medical Center, which includes: Methodist Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center, M. D. Anderson Pediatric Unit, Memorial Hermann Hospital, Memorial Hermann Children’s, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, Texas Children’s and other smaller hospital in the Med Center.

• PAWS Houston “Hospital Personal Pet Visitation Program” was founded on the vision of bringing

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chronic and terminally ill patients and their own pets together while separated when in hospital. In essence, patients are given hope and joy to revitalize their mental and physical health by seeing “their own” pet in the hospital, many times allowing comfort and closure when at the end of life.

• PAWS Houston Hospital Personal Pet Visitation Program provides patients that are critically ill (and in many cases unlikely to go home) the opportunity to visit with and say goodbye to their own pets in their hospital room. All patients, excluding those in the bone marrow unit, are eligible for a visit. Visits were designed to elicit a patient response, help with depression, or to provide closure to a patient at end of life.

• Many times patients are unable to walk and care for their pet, but the companionship of that pet is a key element in dealing with the patient’s illness and recovery process. Their pet is their only “family.” Pets provide continuous, non-judgmental acceptance and love, a connection to the outside world. Their pets contribute to an improved outlook of critically or terminally ill patients.

PAWS Houston has seen companion pets provide such love and comfort to their owner when visiting them in the hospital. But the most gratifying visits are with the children. Their face lights up when they see their furry friend and for a moment they forget the hospital environment and pain. Who more than a child would need the love, support and comfort of their beloved companion pet to help them deal with their illness? Children with cancer are scared, Texas Children’s and M.D. Anderson Pediatrics have found that a child is able to deal with testing and treatments better if their pet is by their side in the hospital.

When the policy was established over nine years ago at Methodist Hospital, no one knew the significant impact that the policy would have on the patient being allowed to see their best friend and companion pet.

PAWS Houston first visit was to an 83 year old woman suffering from breast cancer. Her chart in CCU read, 8

“comatose, not eating, no color and no will to live.” We placed her beloved companion dog on the end of her hospital bed and the dog immediately snuggled on the patient’s chest where the cancer was. The patient’s eye’s fluttered and she said, “my baby, my child.”

Within 15 minutes, she had become animated, her color returned and she wanted everyone to see her “child.” The patient went home for another 3 years of very happy life with her pet and when she passed away, her obituary referenced her doggie and angel who has blessed her life. Each visit is special and over the years, PAWS has seen many miracles, recoveries, peace and serenity with the patients we have served.

Additional programs and services provided by PAWS Houston to the community: • In-Home Care – Many times patients are at home but receiving treatment for cancer and too weak to care for their companion pet. Volunteers from PAWS Houston exercise and care for the companion pet in the home. PAWS Houston also provides pet food, veterinary services and grooming.

• Foster Care – If the patient has no one to care for their companion pet while in the hospital, PAWS Houston provides foster care for their pets.

In 2005 63% of American households own a pet which equates to 69.1 million homes, with 45% owning more than one pet. Pets play an important role in a person’s life not only when they are healthy, but also when they are facing a life threatening illness. Many times an individual is hospitalized unexpectedly and then deteriorates once they are in the hospital. These patients are able to have their “human” family come to the hospital for support and closure, but their animal companions are barred from entering the acute care facility.

At PAWS Houston, we understand the impact that a pet can have on someone’s life. We are all blessed in many ways, and we know that our beloved pet is a special “gift” from God to us that makes our world a better place. PAWS Houston is funded only by special events and individual donations.

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poster for cat show

Bydanny clark

Depth of Field and Aperture Priority

summer

photofun T

he summer months are upon us and that means opportunities for great fun photographs. All summer long our portrait studio is busy with underwater portraits, great summer pet portrait events and family vacations. Of course, almost all the events are centered around photography. I also teach a number of photography workshops monthly helping others learn to love the art of photography and become better at taking their family’s photos. What I have found that makes learning fun and challenging is having an assignment that forces you to look at the world around to find perfect opportunities. With a specific goal in mind that signifies some sort of accomplishment. Waiting around for a photographic opportunity doesn’t just happen, you have to go out and look for it.

This summer is a great opportunity to spend some quality time with your friends, family and pets along with a summer photo list. This list is meant to keep you looking for creative ways to represent each item through photographs. I put this list together to span across both humans 10

and pets, young and old. There is no pressure to get them all, but enough of a challenge to seek out a specific subject and to photograph it the best way possible. The camera being used doesn’t matter.

It could be the new digital SLR you got for Christmas, or your camera phone. The

best camera is the one in your hands. What matters is your own creativity, perspective and observations.

Some easy tips to remember when photographing for your shoot list is to keep it simple, try to include your environment- don’t crop in too close so that there is no perspective

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of where it is and what is happening, and make sure you look beyond your subject for any major distractions. Try to challenge yourself to get off of the Auto setting and learn a little about using Shutter Speed Priority for photographing motion. Shutter speed is the time it takes the shutter to open and close in the camera. The faster the camera shutter opens and closes, the less time the moving subject has to move or in other words, get blurry in the image. If you want to slow things down and show some motion, slow down the shutter so the moving object’s motion shows on the image. Practice this by photographing a fan. At a very slow shutter speed the fan blades won’t even show up in the image.

As the shutter speeds up, the camera is able to capture more detail of the moving fan blades and they begin to appear more and more until the image then captures each blade as though the fan is not even moving.

Another photo challenge is to try using the Aperture Priority setting to get that great look known as a low depth of field. This is basically when the background of the image falls out of focus and appears blurry, but the person, pet or thing you are photographing is clear and highlights the main subject of the image.

Aperture Priority can be applied when you want to remove all the distractions of the background, photographing details of your summer dishes or showing off that new pair of flippers for the pool. Depth of field is the result of the image

shutter speed priority

{June 2012}

taken with a wide or narrow aperture (the size of the opening in the lens). An easy rule of thumb to using aperture is that the smaller the F-stop the smaller the amount of the image that will be in focus. The larger the F-stop the more the image will be in focus. A fun way to practice is to photograph three apples in a row.

As the aperture increases so will the number of the apples that become in focus. Once you get the hang of these two features of your camera the creativity will be spilling over in your photographs.

The most important thing to do is to never stop taking photographs. Photography is our window into years gone by, a record of how we were and what we once did.

I have a sign in my house that reads “the older I get the better I was!”. Oh how this is true and have I got some photos to prove it!

Danny Clark and his family own one of Houston’s largest family portrait studios, Danny Clark Photography, located near the Rice Village.

Danny not only captures family portraits, but has become well recognized in Houston for his distinctive clean-style of pet portraiture and his ability to capture the true personality of the dogs he photographs. For this issue, he combined his pet portraiture with his newest adventure, Azul Aquatic, the only underwater photography portrait studio in Texas. You can learn more about Danny Clark Photography at www. dannyclarkphotography.com or send an email to danny@ dannyclarkphotography.com

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{puppy101}

by Tricia Fagan

cratetraining W

hy crate train your puppy? Crate training is central to most successful house training protocols. Furthermore, because we live in a hurricane prone area, crate training is essential for disaster preparedness. If you must escape from a hurricane, you may need to crate your dog – even if you don’t want to. In addition, an illness may require your dog to be crated. It would be very hard on your dog to be both sick and crated for the first time. Do not wait until you and your dog are stressed to introduce a crate. Plan ahead, crate train your new dog or puppy right away.

My niece recently acquired a long-awaited great dane puppy. My sister took a week off to care for the baby puppy for the puppy’s first week away from her canine family. I provided guidance for normal new puppy things. On Thursday evening, my sister called. The puppy would urinate and 12

defecate if left alone in the crate, and the puppy would be alone most of the day on Monday. Very worrisome!

This behavior could have indicated a serious problem.

Back to the drawing board.

This puppy needed a slower approach. We took the crate training steps and split them into smaller incre-

ments. At first, we crated the puppy and stayed in the room with her. Each time she was crated, we waited until she was quiet (no whining or barking) before letting her out. In the beginning, we asked her to be in the crate for just a second. We gradually extending the time the puppy was crated a few

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seconds at a time. When the puppy could be quiet for a minute in the crate, we begin to move around the room. Then we progressed to walking out the door, returning to the room before leaving the puppy’s sight.

We began to disappear for a tenth of a second, then longer and longer.

Slowly, with very small steps, the new great Dane puppy was able to be alone, in her crate, quiet and calm.

My niece went to work on Monday and the puppy was fine.

My six year old Malinois Taz has not been in a crate

for more than a year, but I know if needed she could be quiet and calm, confident and happy in a crate. Thanks to careful early training, I am sure the new Great Dane puppy will also do well in her crate.

Happy Training.

Tricia Fagan Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed DogS Gone Good www.dogSgonegood.com trainer@dogSgonegood.com (713) 557-1949

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{meetthevet}

By Amy Kelly, Kingsland Blvd Animal Clinic

fleacontrol So, you have a flea problem?!

F

Once on your pet, fleas begin feeding and breeding —and laying the groundwork for what you are seeing today.

By the time you notice fleas on your pets, there can be THOUSANDS of flea eggs, larvae, and pupae right under your feet—ready to start an infestation in your house!

The highest number of flea eggs, larvae, and pupae will be found in the areas of the 14

haley

lea infestations don’t happen overnight. In fact, they usually begin 6-8 weeks before you ever even NOTICE a flea! That’s when your pet (or you) brings in a few fleas from outside. house where the pets spend most of their time, such as beds, furniture, etc. Even though fleas may be in your house, you may not be able to see them; the eggs are too small to see without magnification and the larvae migrate deep down into the carpets, furniture, or cracks in the floors AWAY from the light.

As these new fleas emerge, your flea population may look

like it is getting WORSE, but that means the infestation is running its course. Once you have applied a flea prevention, any fleas on your pet will be killed fast, before they can produce another generation of fleas. BUT, all of the eggs, larvae, and pupae already in the environment will mature into new fleas -- usually within 1-2 months of applying your flea prevention.

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WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO:

1. Treat ALL animals in the environment (inside dogs AND cats, outside dogs AND cats) with a flea prevention. This is absolutely critical to eliminating the fleas in your environment.

2. Vacuum floors and furniture thoroughly and regularly. This can remove a large number of flea eggs, larvae, and pupae that are present in your home. You will need to throw away the vacuum bag or empty out the container immediately to prevent eggs and larvae from developing inside the vacuum cleaner.

3. Launder all pets’ bedding and other washable household materials in HOT water. Do it as often as possible.

4. Talk to a professional exterminator about using a pest control in the house and the yard. They should use an insecticide AND an insect growth regulator on your home.

Vacuum before ANY inside treatments, as the vibrations will encourage newly developed fleas to emerge from the pupae, which can then be killed by the insecticide.

It is critical that your pets remain on flea prevention for a minimum of three months for treatment. Because the flea prevention destroys the flea’s ability to reproduce, once all of the eggs/larvae/pupae mature and are killed by the prevention, the cycle is broken. This usually happens between the 2nd and 3rd months. **Remember, your pet can still pick up new fleas from the same place that they got them in the first place (your yard, the neighborhood, the dog parks, etc). By keeping them on a flea prevention every month all year long, it will prevent them from having viable fleas with the ability to reproduce.** Consistency is key!

fleas can still get on your pet. We do not have a flea repellent that works by keeping the fleas completely of your pet.

Q: Where do these new fleas come from?

A: Fleas start from eggs, which fall off infested animals and develop into larvae and pupae indoors (in carpeting, cracks in flooring, upholstery, pets’ bedding) and outdoors (under shady, protected areas such as decks, crawl spaces, and shrubs).

This is a site of a flea infestation. Immature stages of fleas already present in an environmental infestation continue to develop into new adult fleas LONG AFTER the adult fleas on the pet are killed. It can take several weeks for these immature stages that are already in the environment to complete their development, potentially exposing the pet to new fleas every day until the infestation runs its course. These emerging fleas will be killed when they jump on your treated pet.

Q: How long will it take for an infestation in the home to be cleared completely?

A: It can take 2-3 months, and sometimes longer in cooler rooms, for a well-established indoors flea infestation to completely run its course. The flea preventions help break the life cycle by killing the adult fleas, and some preventions help with the other life cycles as well.

Thank you Merial for helping with this article

FAQ:

Q: Why do I still see fleas on my pet after applying the flea prevention?

A: Pets can continue to be infested with new fleas, if they come into contact with a site where fleas are developing and emerging. You may also notice some fleas become hyperactive before they die when they come in contact with some preventions. *Also remember, most preventions will kill the flea when they come in contact with the medication or a bloodmeal, SO {June 2012}

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{centerstage}

saveourstrays

swimmin’ with

C

ody was found as a puppy about 6-8 months old on a construction site off of Highway 90 and Beltway 8. He was a very skinny puppy with patches of fur missing wandering around looking for food in the nearby trash cans. I had recently become a volunteer with Save Our Strays Fort Bend and decided to foster the poor little guy until he was well enough to be put up for adoption. Over the period of a few weeks while we were nursing back to health we fell in love with him and quickly became a foster failure. Cody remains a permanent part of our family and we are lucky to have him!

Cody meet

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Save Our Strays Fort Bend is a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal rescue organization dedicated to saving the lives of shelter animals after the 3-day hold period has expired and they are facing eithanasia. Our group provides temporary foster care for abandoned and abused animals until permanent, loving and responsible homes can be found. We do not have a shelter, but instead foster all of the animals in the program in our homes to provide potential adopters with as much information so the transition into their new home is smooth. Foster homes are the key to our success and without them our group could not save lives. All of the animals that come into the group are taken to a Vet and are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested, microchipped and treated for intestinal worms.

The mail goal of our group is to save lives and to educate the public on the importance of spaying and neutering. To date our organization has saved thousands of lives and through our foster program we are able to find many of our animals the loving homes that they have always deserved. www.saveourstraysfortbend.org

{May 2012}

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how

maddox beachbody back

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got his

C

anine obesity is one of the fastest growing health problems for dogs today.

Just like people, dogs carrying those extra pounds place extra strain on virtually all organs of their bodies.

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New feeding plan-

3 cups dry food over 3 meals daily.

Replace the remaining 20% of his daily meals with canned pumpkin and cooked low sodium green beans.

Treats- carrots, green beans or frozen canned pumpkin chunks.

Many of us don’t think of our dogs as obese though, myself included. I remember taking one of my English Bulldogs to the vet with a torn ACL and being told she needed to loose several pounds to relieve the stress on her joints, the first comments out of my mouth was “You know she’s an English Bulldog, right?” English Bulldogs are noted for their rolly polly appearance; short fat and always frowning makes them one of the most recognizable breeds in the U.S. It wasn’t until several months later that my male Bulldog, Maddox began having problems. His vet again warned me that he needed to loose weight but we passed it off as his getting up there in age. Maddox showed several of the warning signs of obesity (Decreased stamina, heat intolerance, difficulty breathing, digestive problems and fat folds of skin) however these are also typical traits of the English Bulldog.

It wasn’t until his front legs slipped out from under him that it hit home- as much as I preach about keeping pets lean, I was the owner of 2 severely obese dogs!

As I sat on the floor hugging my old guy, I realized we needed to devise a serious weight loss program and FAST! First step- we needed to look at his food. I called my dear friend Nadine, owner of Natural Pawz and went over his feeding habits with her. He’s on a very low calorie, quality food, check. He doesn’t get table scraps, check.

We give treats sparingly, check. He eats several times throughout the day as we gets hungry- uh-oh! First step to the beach body was to get them on smaller meal sizes 3 times a day. {June 2012}

Second step- his exercise routine. This one was pretty non-existent and consisted of getting out of bed, going outside for a bathroom break and walking to his food bowl. Maddox is a brachycephalic dog breed (flat faced) and is very sensitive to both cold and hot weather making outdoor exercise limited. The heat combined with the extra weight and strain on his joints left us very few exercise options. We decided to start swimming! (The majority of English Bulldogs CANNOT Swim by themselves and Maddox is one of them). With a life jacket in tow we started his new exercise routine. To say the first week swimming was difficult is an understatement. Maddox DID NOT LIKE the pool! It was cold, he had to be held up which left my legs exposed to his frantic kicking, he would get out and take off running (chasing down and carrying a 75lb angry, wet Bulldog back into a cold pool isn’t easy). We persisted though.

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New exercise routine-

5 min, twice a day swimming for the first week then moving up to 10 min, twice a day.

Maddox lost a pound his very first week followed by 2 more pounds as the month progressed!

Maddox also began showing signs of improvement with his stiffness and was becoming more frisky so we decided to add more exercise to the game plan- we needed a treadmill! I’m not an exercising kinda gal and I’m well aware that in time the treadmill would turn into a place to hang clothes and sport gear so spending a ton of money was out of the question.

Knowing that I’m not the only one would give up on a treadmill, I turned to my community Facebook group asking for help. I sent out a post asking if anyone in the neighborhood had a treadmill they would be willing to sell. It didn’t need to have any bells or whistles or be nice to look at for that matter; I only needed a safe treadmill to help my dog loose weight.

After a few days someone posted that they had a treadmill they wanted to get rid of- for free! We rushed over to get it and came home giddy with anticipation over the weight loss that would come by this treadmill! We set it up in the bedroom with 2 fans blowing on high speed, harnessed Maddox up and turned on. He’s not thrilled with the treadmill to say the least but I can’t say I’ve known anyone who is thrilled to be on a diet and exercise program.

We’re happy to say that between the diet and exercise, Maddox has lost 3 pounds this month! He also willingly gets into the pool for his swimming exercise and even the kids are getting involved helping him get into shape. While we still have a long way to go, we have a real sense of satisfaction seeing our Maddox moving better and off to great start towards being a healthier pet.

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tips

beach

By Monica Schmidt, Houston Humane Society

S

ummertime is upon us, and that means it is time for some fun in the sun! If your summer plans include a trip to the beach, consider including your four legged friend in the jaunt. But remember, not all beaches are dog friendly. Do your homework before you leave the house to find out which beaches will welcome your dog. Be sure to check out the specific rules for each pet friendly beach as well.

Some have regulations regarding what time of day dogs are allowed and specific on/off leash areas.

It is also important to obey all posted rules once you are on the beach with your pooch.

It is a good idea to check in with a lifeguard, monitor warning flags, and check posted boards to know the condition of the water. Just like humans, dogs are susceptible to sea lice, jellyfish, riptides and currents. The ocean can be a dangerous place for your pet so be vigilant and never leave them unattended in the water.

The sun offers its own danger to both you and your pooch. Dangerous sun exposure can leave humans and canines alike with a nasty burn as a reminder of their fun. Dogs at the greatest risk for sunburn include those with pink skin, light fur, and short or shaved hair. Be sure your pet has access to plenty of shade, and apply a pet specific sunscreen (many human grade sunscreens contain ingredients that can cause gastrointestinal issues). A great product to look for is a sunscreen and mosquito repellent combo.

A day at the beach is a lot of fun and a LOT of work.

Make sure your dog takes a break in the shade in between bouts of swimming, running, digging (yes, the beach is {June 2012}

haley

the one place Fido can finally try to dig his way to China), playing fetch, and making new friends. Your pooch’s shady spot should always have fresh water available. It is important that both you and your pet stay hydrated. Pack enough fresh water for you and your dog, and consider investing in a doggy travel bowl to carry with you at all times. Remember, salt water is not good for you pooch!

Before you head home from the beach be sure to rinse off your pet. Most beaches offer shower areas. As soon as you get home give Fido a bath to get off any remaining salt and minerals to limit damage to their coat and skin.

Wondering what you should have in your dog’s beach bag? Plan to include a beach towel of his own, waterproof nylon leash (and consider switching out his normal collar for a nylon style), sunscreen and insect repellant (if needed), travel water bowl and fresh water, treats/snacks, a doggy t-shirt to shield them from the sun, and pet wipes.

With a little bit of planning, your furry friend can have a healthy, happy, and humane day out at the beach!

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{pawz-itivelynatural}

By Nadine Joli-Coeur

hurricane preparedness I

n the event of an emergency, the thought of leaving my pets behind is unimaginable.

Our pets are family members and of course we would want to make sure that they are taken care of if something were to happen. June 1st is the start of hurricane season and it is a good time to make sure you are ready.

Do you have a current photograph, and are your pet’s shots up to date. If you had to bring your pet to a boarding facility they would be turned away if you did not have your pet’s vaccination records. It is also a good idea to create a document for each of your pets that includes their feeding regimen, any medications, medical issues and

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any other vital information.

The more a new place knows about your pet, the easier it will be for them to make them feel more comfortable.

Having a pet information sheet with a recent photo can also help if you pet gets out.

What other things would you need to consider? It has been my experience that we all intend to have plenty of

pet food but often we are down to their last serving before we head to the store. It is always a good idea to keep at least one extra bag of food that will last at least 2 weeks and some treats. As more and more natural foods come on the market you should think about trying dehydrated and freeze dried products. Firstly they don’t take up much space

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The kit should include portable or stainless steel food and water bowls, poop bags, a leash (and maybe a collar), some toys (toys are great to distract or occupy a nervous pet).

and secondly the added benefit is that it is less processed and provides your pet with lots of nutrient rich ingredients, essential minerals and probiotics; not to mention pets love it (even the difficult ones). Also keep some canned pet food on hand. Not only does it provide moisture to pets, but almost all pets always will be tempted by canned food. You should keep on hand a couple of cans of canned pumpkin.

Pumpkin is excellent for digestive upset and helping cure loose stool.

So what other pet supplies should you have on hand?

You should put together an emergency kit for non food supplies. The kit should include portable or stainless steel food and water bowls, poop bags, a leash (and maybe a collar), some toys (toys are great to distract or occupy a nervous pet). Pack all these items in an extra bag. The good news is that you will always remember were they are and can come in handy in non emergency situations as well. In an emergency situation, it is easy to forget key things like a can opener for canned food or even a bowl to put it in. If you have to leave, you need a plan on how to transport your

{June 2012}

pets. Whether, it is a hotel, shelter or friends house, you will likely need to have a kennel for them. A good wire crate is ideal as they are easy to fold away when not being used and also give maximum ventilation.

Last hurricane, we saw a lot of customers who did not have electricity and their pe’s were hot and very nervous. Store everything in a centralized location, preferably having smaller items already packed in an extra bag. Make sure to keep supplies for a week of medication, food, toys and other supplies for your four legged friend. At least this way you will be prepared quickly, or in the event that something happens when you are out of town, you can be prepared to have someone else care for your pets.

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{dougiedeogi}

Do

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ougie Deogi

Dougie Deogi is the official spokes dog for Lone Star Shih Tzu & Lhasa Apso Rescue. He often has interesting things to say on his own facebook page, www.facebook.com/accordingtodougie.

The rescue can be followed at www.facebook.com/LSSTLAR.

Rescue Reporter

Y

o, peeps, its Dougie Deogi, rescue reporter, coming to you from the WORST time of the year for homeless dogs.

Yep, that’s right. When all of you are celebrating your good fortune to be living in the good old USA, homeless little dogs’ futures are looking really bleak right now.

Why, you wonder?

Well first, there are V.A.C.A.T.I.O.N.S. Yep, those things you do to go have fun. Well, I know you won’t believe this, but a bunch of people are gonna get rid of their pesky pets right about now so they don’t have to pay boarding fees when they hit the beach. Yep, that’s right.

They’ll go spend THOUSANDS on a trip to Hawaii, but to avoid shelling out $200 to board their dog, he’ll be dumped at the shelter.

Secondly, good grief, all the rescue peeps are already overloaded and guess what, some of them like to take vacations too. So there are just that many fewer homes for pups and kitties to land when they {April 2012}

end up in the shelters.

Lastly, all of the boarding places are full. That’s right.

Summer is a GOOD time for boarding places. They are usually full to capacity all summer long. Most of them will happily board one or two rescues when there is space, but when they are already booked, there is no “space” available. No vacancy for homeless dogs.

Would you believe that if you opened your home and heart for only 30 days, you would save the life of at least one dog? Do it! You know you can!

So what do you say, peeps?

Want to save a life? Or are you just going to sit there and roll your eyes? Huh? Got a breed preference?

Email me, dougie@accordingtodougie.com, and I’ll hook you up with a rescue.

Dougie Deogi, over and out.

Doggie Daycare, Boarding, Grooming and Obedience Training 6434 Washington Avenue Houston, TX 77007 713-868-7555 deogi@deogidogspa.com

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F

black finn

urr-tastic or flea infested! The Pupperazzi is on the scene and has your tail covered!

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d gs cats Texas

peta palooza

hyacinth

{May 2012}

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{marketplace}

doggiejo This is a must have for active pets on the go while traveling, hiking or just on a walk.

Collapsible cup with bottle holder is the perfect solution for thirsty or hungry dogs.

Available at Natural Pawz

Doggles dog goggles are designed to protect dog’s eyes from the sun’s harmful rays, flying debris, wind, rocks, or bugs.

Keep your pet and children safe with this Turtle Alarm warning system. If the Turtle (placed on the pets collar of child’s wrist) gets wet an alarm will sound notifying you of danger. Visit your local swimming pool store for more information.

FiFi will look like a million bucks in this itsy bitsy, teeny weenie red polka dot bikini!

Available in several colors at The Pawty Palace in Katy!

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d gs cats Texas

oysofjune The Kool Collar uses ice to help keep your pet cool during outdoor activities. Ask your local pet store about them!

Fun in the sun is not complete without sunscreen for your dog! Protect your pet with this awesome light mist spray that penetrates through your dog’s coat to the skin to protect from harmful UVA and UVB rays!

Ask your local pet store about this product!

These brightly colored pet preservers help keep pets safe in and around the water, while also keeping them highly visible. Avaliable at The Pawty Palace in Katy

Keep your pet chilled with this cooling mat.

Once Fido lays on it the pressure-activated technology cools the surface temperature by 10℉! Grab yours at Natural Pawz!

The Skamper Ramp is a must-have safety precaution for folks with swimming pools and dogs, especially small dogs Available at Natural Pawz!

{June 2012}

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